Financiamiento: No hubo financiamiento externo. Conflicto de intereses: Los autores declaran la ausencia de conflictos de interés.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB)/HIV coinfection has a high mortality rate. Aim: To describe socio-epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis (TB)-HIV coinfection, and aspects associated with its prevalence, from 2005 to 2018. Material and Methods: Analysis of the registry of the tuberculosis control and elimination program of three public health services of metropolitan Santiago. The variables considered were: TB/HIV coinfection, age, sex, location of tuberculosis, bacteriological confirmation, incarceration, commune of residence, country of origin and effectiveness of the tuberculosis therapy. Results: We analyzed 7507 TB cases, of whom 12% corresponded to cases of coinfection. The number of coinfections doubled in the last 6 years. In 2018, 45% of coinfection cases occurred in migrants. Of the total cases evaluated, 53% were successfully treated and 28% died. Conclusions: The remarkable increase in TB/HIV coinfection, urgently demands new prevention and control strategies, aimed at the most vulnerable groups.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most prevalent respiratory diseases in the world. In 2020 there were at least 9.9 million new infections, with 1.5 million deaths. Approximately 10% of people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (LTBI) develop the disease during the first 2 to 5 years after infection. Currently in South America, the diagnosis of LTBI continues to be per-formed through the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST). Objective: The objective of our study was to compare the sensitivity of a new immunofluorescence IGRA test against a widely available IGRA kit on the market. Material and method: Close contact to infectious patients with TB, or HIV patients or immunocompromised for another cause were recruited. Two interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) diagnostic kits were used and compared with TST. Results: 76 patients were recruited. 93.42% were Chilean nationality, 98.68% of the patients did not have immunosuppres-sion. The sensitivity of the new technique was 88.89% and specificity 92.50% in the study popula-tion compared to the IGRA previously used. In the subgroup older than 36 years, the sensitivity was 95.65% and the specificity 89.47%. Conclusion: IGRA techniques are a new resource in clini-cal laboratories to be able to make an accurate diagnosis in LTBI in the region of the Americas. In our population, the greatest benefit of this new IGRA would be observed in people over 36 years of age, where the sensitivity of the technique was like that of the currently available test.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most prevalent respiratory diseases in the world. In 2020 there were at least 9.9 million new infections, with 1.5 million deaths. Approximately 10% of people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis develop the disease during the first 2 to 5 years after infection. In South America, the diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis Infections (LTBI) continues to be performed through the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST). Objective: The objective of our study was to compare the sensitivity of a new immunofluorescence IGRA test against a widely available IGRA kit on the market. Material and method: Close contact with infectious TB patients, HIV patients, or immunocompromised for another cause were recruited. Two interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) diagnostic kits were used and compared with TST. Results: 76 patients were recruited, 93.42% were Chilean nationality, and 98.68% of the patients did not have immunosuppression. The sensitivity of the new technique was 88.89%, and the specificity was 92.50% in the study population compared to the IGRA previously used. In the subgroup older than 36 years, the sensitivity was 95.65%, and the specificity was 89.47%. Conclusion: IGRA techniques are a new resource in clinical laboratories to make an accurate diagnosis of LTBI in the region of the Americas. In our population, the greatest benefit of this new IGRA would be observed in people over 36 years of age, where the sensitivity of the technique was like that of the currently available test.

Objetivos: Describir las características socio-epidemiológicas de los casos de Tuberculosis (TBC) Pediátrica, y aspectos asociados a su incidencia, del 2005 al 2018, en Servicios de Salud Metropolitano Norte, Central y Sur de Chile.Pacientes y Método: Estudio descriptivo con componente ecológico de tipo serie temporal. Se estudió la incidencia de TBC anuales globales y según edad, sexo, localización de la TBC, confirmación bacteriológica, co-infección con virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), país de procedencia y efectividad de la terapia anti-tuberculosis. Se realizó un análisis de correlación entre la tasa de incidencia y la proporción de casos extranjeros.Resultados: Entre el 2005 y 2018 se notificaron 160 casos de TBC en menores de 15 años. Mediana de edad de 8 años, 55% de sexo masculino. La TBC Pulmonar afectó a 56,2%, donde hubo confirmación bacteriológica en un 65,6%. La tasa de incidencia aumentó de 0,5 a 4,9 casos x 100.000 habitantes, de 2010 a 2018. Ese último año, concentra un 20,6% de los casos ocurridos en 14 años de observación. La proporción de casos en menores extranjeros es inferior a los casos de niños(as) chilenos. Además, se observó un 91,3% de éxito en el tratamiento, un 6,5% de casos trasladados de Servicio y 2 fallecidosConclusión: Los resultados de este estudio dan cuenta de una grave reemergencia epidemiológica de TBC. Se recomienda que las políticas de control y eliminación consideren estrategias focalizadas en pacientes pediátricos, orientándose a pesquisar activamente los casos nuevos y hacer más eficiente el estudio de contacto.

Scrofuloderma, cutaneous and pulmonary tuberculosis associated with COVID-19. Report of one caseCutaneous tuberculosis represents 1-1.5% of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, including a variety of clinical conditions. Scrofuloderma and lupus vulgaris are the most common forms. We report a 49-year-old woman who sought medical attention through tele-dermatology concerning a cervical nodule associated with suppuration and cutaneous involvement. The diagnoses of scrofuloderma and pulmonary tuberculosis were confirmed, and during her evolution she presented a coinfection with SARS-CoV-2. The possible associations between tuberculosis and COVID-19 were reviewed.