Tuberculosis and COVID-19 co-infection in Serbia: Pandemic challenge in a low-burden country.

Autor:	Adzic-Vukicevic T; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.; Clinic for Pulmonology, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.; COVID Hospital 'Batajnica', University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia., Stosic M; Institute of Public Health of Serbia 'Dr. Milan Jovanovic-Batut', Belgrade, Serbia.; Faculty for Health and Business Studies, Singidunum University, Valjevo, Serbia., Antonijevic G; Special Hospital for Pulmonary Diseases 'Ozren', Sokobanja, Serbia., Jevtic M; Special Hospital for Pulmonary Diseases 'Ozren', Sokobanja, Serbia., Radovanovic-Spurnic A; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.; COVID Hospital 'Batajnica', University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.; Clinic for Infective and Tropical Diseases, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia., Velickovic J; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.; COVID Hospital 'Batajnica', University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.; Center for Anesthesiology, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Frontiers in medicine [Front Med (Lausanne)] 2022 Nov 16; Vol. 9, pp. 971008. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Nov 16 (Print Publication: 2022).
DOI:	10.3389/fmed.2022.971008
Abstrakt:	Introduction: COVID-19 and tuberculosis (TB) represent global threats to the public health system. The impact of COVID-19 on TB results in a reduction in the number of notified TB cases, delayed diagnosis and treatment, and increased case fatality and mortality rates. The aim of the study was to analyze the TB/COVID-19 co-infected cohort in Serbia as a low-burden country and compare it to the global TB/COVID-19 cohort. Methods: A retrospective analysis was done on 53 TB and COVID-19 co-infected patients treated in COVID hospital "Batajnica" in Belgrade and Special Hospital for Pulmonary Diseases "Ozren" Sokobanja in the period from 6 March 2020 to 1 April 2022. A comparative analysis with the global cohort published recently was also performed. Results: TB/COVID-19 cohort in Serbia included significantly fewer migrants and diabetes cases, but more cases with chronic respiratory diseases compared to the global. Descriptive analysis of TB cases in the Serbian TB/COVID-19 cohort showed fewer cases diagnosed with sputum smear and Gene Xpert/HAIN, fewer EPTB and mono-resistant cases, and more cases diagnosed with solid culture, unilateral pulmonary infiltrate (with bilateral cavity lesions), and bilateral pulmonary infiltrate (no cavities) compared to TB/COVID-19 cases worldwide. Nasal congestion and fever were more common COVID-19 symptoms in the global cohort. Radiology was more commonly used for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in Serbia. Typical bilateral ground opacities were less common among Serbian patients. Serbian patients spent fewer days in the hospital and achieved a higher PCR conversion rate and TB treatment success rate. Conclusion: The Serbian TB/COVID-19 cohort achieved a higher treatment success rate compared to the global cohort. Encouraging vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 for people with a current or past TB disease, as well as rapid diagnosis and targeted treatment of TB in highly specialized pulmonology institutions, presents key points to avoid excessive morbidity and mortality. Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. (Copyright © 2022 Adzic-Vukicevic, Stosic, Antonijevic, Jevtic, Radovanovic-Spurnic and Velickovic.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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