The ancient Tuberculosis in the novel COVID-19 scenario

Abstract

Recently, the world has coped with the challenging and rapid spread of the novel SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19. The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 range from asymptomatic status to acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ dysfunctions. The rapid transmissibility and mortality caused by COVID-19 has overburdened staff of health services all around the world. To control the consequences of this health crisis that extends to a pandemic level, social isolation was forced with the maintenance of only essential services, which, in fact, has challenged health providers and the global economy. Given this scenario, it is worth remembering that historically, tuberculosis (TB) has been implied in high rates of morbidity and mortality, killing more than any other infectious disease, being a longstanding public health problem (Alagna et al., 2020). Since the early discovery of antimicrobial therapy, TB has been associated with drug resistance, suffering from the rise of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates (World Health Organization, 2019). Now, we are still in the middle of COVID-19 pandemic; however, in times like these, how could a high burden disease such as TB affect or be affected when combined with the COVID-19 pandemic?In general, patient retention and the accomplishment of the treatment schema are fundamental to cure TB. However, they are sensitive matters in times of overwhelmed health facilities that could expose fragilities in health systems (Saunders, Evans, 2020). Patients with TB diagnosis should finish the treatment schema unless in exceptional cases this is not possible. If the treatment stops in high burden