Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2 co-infections: The knowns and unknowns
Kim R. Chiok,
Neeraj Dhar,
Arinjay Banerjee
Affiliations
Kim R. Chiok
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
Neeraj Dhar
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada; Respiratory Research Centre, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada; Corresponding author
Arinjay Banerjee
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Respiratory Research Centre, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Corresponding author
Summary: Health impacts of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and SARS-CoV-2 co-infections are not fully understood. Both pathogens modulate host responses and induce immunopathology with extensive lung damage. With a quarter of the world’s population harboring latent TB, exploring the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and its effect on the transition of Mtb from latent to active form is paramount to control this pathogen. The effects of active Mtb infection on establishment and severity of COVID-19 are also unknown, despite the ability of TB to orchestrate profound long-lasting immunopathologies in the lungs. Absence of mechanistic studies and co-infection models hinder the development of effective interventions to reduce the health impacts of SARS-CoV-2 and Mtb co-infection. Here, we highlight dysregulated immune responses induced by SARS-CoV-2 and Mtb, their potential interplay, and implications for co-infection in the lungs. As both pathogens master immunomodulation, we discuss relevant converging and diverging immune-related pathways underlying SARS-CoV-2 and Mtb co-infections.
