HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are, along with malaria, the leading infectious causes of death worldwide and in sub-Saharan Africa.1 In 2008, there were 2 million deaths from AIDS and 1.8 million deaths from TB worldwide.2, 3 The HIV epidemic has fueled an increase in the incidence of, prevalence of and mortality due to TB in the past 3 decades. 15% of TB cases are HIV co-infected worldwide.34 78% of HIV-infected TB cases are in Africa.3 TB is the leading cause of death and opportunistic infection among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The HIV epidemic has challenged time-tested TB control methods that are now failing in high HIV prevalence settings.5 The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that the Three I's - intensified case-finding for TB (ICF), isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) and infection control for TB - be targeted at PLWHA.6 ICF and IPT have not been adequately implemented in part due to the absence of sensitive, specific and rapid TB tests. The Cepheid GeneXpert System, a new diagnostic test for TB, is a self-contained sputum-processing and real-time PCR system to detect the M. tuberculosis complex as well as rifampin resistance.78 The GeneXpert is rapid, highly sensitive and specific, can be used as a point-of-care test, and has low human resource, laboratory and infection control requirements.7, 8 The WHO Strategic and Advisory Group for TB has endorsed recommendations for widespread use of the GeneXpert.9 WHO strongly recommended that the GeneXpert should be used as the initial diagnostic test in HIV-infected TB suspects and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) suspects.9 WHO also recommended that implementation of the GeneXpert be phased in within the context of comprehensive national and MDR-TB strategic plans.9 WHO recognized that several operational conditions need to be met for successful implementation, including but not limited to stable electrical supply, security against theft, trained personnel and annual calibration of the instrument by a commercial supplier.9 WHO also noted that it is important to document the impact and cost-effectiveness of the GeneXpert for TB case detection.9