Same-day Versus Rapid ART Initiation in HIV-positive Individuals Presenting With Symptoms of Tuberculosis

ART initiation on the day of enrolment independent of TB investigations in PLHIV with presumptive TB but no signs of CNS disease. The trial uses treatments and drug-doses as per international and national guidelines. All treatment components will be applied at standard dosage and no new substances or alternative indications will be tested.

Deferral of ART initiation until active TB has been refuted or confirmed. PLHIV presenting with symptoms (cough, fever, night sweat, weight loss) are defined as presumptive TB, and should have microbiological TB investigations. Routine TB investigations in Malawi and Lesotho usually consist of two sputum bottles for analysis using nucleic acid amplification tests (Xpert MTB/RIF (Ultra)).The trial uses treatments and drug-doses as per international and national guidelines. All treatment components will be applied at standard dosage and no new substances or alternative indications will be tested.