The Impact of COVID-19 on the Tuberculosis Features in a Romanian Pneumology Hospital

Abstract

George-Cosmin Popovici,1,2,* Costinela-Valerica Georgescu,3,4,* Claudiu-Ionut Vasile,5,6,* Oana-Mariana Mihailov,2,5,* Mihaela-Camelia Vasile,5,7,* Manuela Arbune5,8,* 1School for Doctoral Studies in Biomedical Sciences, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 2Pneumology Department II, Pneumophtisiology Hospital, Galati, Romania; 3Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 4Public Health & Management Department, Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic Hospital “Buna Vestire”, Galati, Romania; 5Medical Clinic Department, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 6Psychiatry Clinic Department I, “Elisabeta Doamna” Psychiatric Hospital, Galati, Romania; 7Infectious Diseases Clinic Department II, Clinic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania; 8Infectious Diseases Clinic Department I, Clinic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Costinela-Valerica Georgescu; Claudiu-Ionut Vasile, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: The COVID-19 pandemic and tuberculosis have epidemiological similarities, being transmitted airborne, favored by direct contact, crowded environments, and vulnerable biological status.Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 45 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis associated with COVID-19 (TB+COV+) compared to 45 cases with tuberculous monoinfection (TB+COV-), hospitalized during 2021– 2022.Results: The demographic characteristics were similar in the two groups, predominating men, a median age of 51 years, living in rural areas, medium level of education and smoking. Common symptoms of the two groups were cough, weight loss, profuse sweating, loss of appetite and hemoptysis, while fever, headache, myo-arthralgias, and digestive symptoms characterized the TB+COV+ forms. The scores of radiological lesions in the TB+COV+ compared to TB+COV- group were significantly higher and persistent, revealing more frequent bilateral extensive lung lesions. There were no significant differences in the biological parameters between the two groups. Mortality was 2.2%, regardless of the association of COVID-19. The frequency of infections with Clostridioides difficile was higher in TB+COV+ cases.Conclusion: The co-infection of COVID-19 had a mild impact on the clinical and biological expression of tuberculosis diagnosed in a pandemic context.Keywords: tuberculosis, COVID-19 pandemic, co-infection, Romania

Keywords

• tuberculosis
• covid-19 pandemic
• co-infection
• romania