Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our comprehensive analysis is to assess the prospects for the effects of the interaction between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) and tuberculosis (TB) and to strategize the risks of spreading TB infection in a coronavirus pandemic.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS. Test access to full-text and abstract databases was used.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. An analysis of the available literature has shown that a 3-month lockdown and a long 10-month recovery worldwide could lead to an additional 6.3 million TB cases and another 1.4 million TB deaths between 2020 and 2025. On average, the detection of TB in Ukraine decreased by 27.4 %, and the incidence of TB among children decreased by 34.5 %. This is an alarming figure because we know very well that within 6 months the number of patients with TB has not decreased, they simply stopped being detected. In addition, COVID‑19 may accelerate the activation of latent TB infection and thus increase the number of active cases.
 CONCLUSIONS. The overall incidence of TB in 2021 will increase to the level that was last observed between 2013 and 2016. The epidemiological indicators of TB control are expected to deteriorate for at least 5-8 years due to the COVID‑19 pandemic. Long-term results can be strongly affected by the rate of short-term recovery. Priority should be given to all governments, during a pandemic, to ensure the continuity of basic health care, including the implementation of national TB programs.
Highlights
OBJECTIVEThe purpose of our comprehensive analysis is to assess the prospects for the effects of the interaction between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and tuberculosis (TB) and to strategize the risks of spreading TB infection in a coronavirus pandemic
While treatment trials are ongoing, no medication is currently recommended for COVID‐19 and no cautions on drug-drug interactions are indicated at present
These important elements of the cascade of care are at stake at a time when resources will be focused on providing care for individuals affected by COVID‐19
Summary
The purpose of our comprehensive analysis is to assess the prospects for the effects of the interaction between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and tuberculosis (TB) and to strategize the risks of spreading TB infection in a coronavirus pandemic. Governments of high tuberculosis (TB) burden countries need to ensure the continuity of TB services in the time of COVID‐19. This includes being proactive to protect the most vulnerable, including protection against economic hardship, isolation, stigma and discrimination. As the COVID‐19 pandemic spreads into high TB burden settings, countries must put in place strategies to ease pressure on health systems and to mitigate disruption. We reflect on the interactions between COVID‐19 and TB, which still ranks as the leading cause of death from a single infectious disease globally [4, 10]. There may be grave consequences for existing and undiagnosed TB patients globally, in low and middle income countries where TB is endemic and health services poorly equipped.
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