[Coinfection of COVID-19 and extrapulmonary tuberculosis]

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic continues causing significant global morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 is an acute respiratory infection that can affect other organs. Tuberculosis (TB) is also an endemic infection that typically occurs with pulmonary involvement and very infrequently, with extra-pulmonary involvement. There is little information on extrapulmonary TB and COVID-19 coinfection. The objective of this communication was to present information about this association in a public hospital in the city of Buenos Aires. Between March 2020 and April 2021, our Hospital diagnosed 10 809 cases of COVID-19, 106 of TB and 20 of TB-COVID-19 coinfection (incidence 185 cases of TB/100 000 cases of COVID-19), exceeding more than six times the average frequency of TB/100 000 inhabitants of the country (31/100 000). Of these 20 cases diagnosed with COVID-19 and TB, five presented extrapulmonary involvement due to TB (25%). The median age was 30 years (CI25-75, 28-31), three (60%) of them were female. The most frequently associated infection was due to human immunodeficiency virus, (n = 3), underweight (n = 2), COPD (n = 1) and drug addiction (n = 1). Three presented exclusive extrapulmonary involvement of the central nervous system, two pulmonary and pericardial. Four patients (80%) had a favorable evolution.

[Directly observed treatment for tuberculosis in a Buenos Aires City hospital]

The outcomes of directly observed therapy of tuberculosis (DOT) between 1/1/1979 and 12/31/2009 were analyzed. Results obtained in the 1979-1999 period were compared with those achieved in the 2000-2009 period. In a Buenos Aires City hospital, 582 HIV negative TB patients received rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol or streptomycin in the initial stage, followed by a second stage where patients were included in two groups: G1 composed by 424 patients (period 1/1/1979-12/31/1999) who received either rifampin and isoniazid or rifampin and streptomicin twice a week, and G2, with 158 patients (period 1/1/2000-12/31/2009) who received either rifampin and isoniazid twice or three times a week. National and Buenos Aires City TB Control Programs recommendations were followed. Patients who underwent DOT had higher completeness rates than those included in self-administered therapy (82.8% vs. 48.7%), (p <0.0001). Mean age: 36.3 ± 15.3 years, males: 63.1% and 69.4% were Argentine citizens. A 8.9% had been previously treated, 6.1% had co-morbidities. A 70.6% of pulmonary cases was bacteriologically confirmed, 82.8% of them completed the treatment, while 11.5% defaulted. Adverse effects to antituberculosis drugs were observed in 9.5% of cases; male patients showed higher rates of non adherence. G2 had a lower proportion of native people (48.7% vs. 77.1%), (p = 0.0001), higher frequency of co-morbidities (10.7% vs. 4.4%), (p = 0.005), of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary cases (95% vs. 87%), (p = 0.02) and more adverse effects than G1 (17% vs. 6.6%), (p = 0.0001). In coincidence with other experiences, this work shows high treatment success rates in patients treated under DOT strategy.