Increased detection of pulmonary tuberculosis amongst hospitalised inpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Extract

We read with interest the article by Nikolayevskyy et al. [1] reporting significant disruption to clinical tuberculosis (TB) services during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Reductions in TB diagnoses during the pandemic have been reported worldwide [1–4]. These findings have been attributed to a reduction in admissions due to lockdown, the spillover effect of public health measures against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on other respiratory infectious diseases, and diversion of resources towards the COVID-19 response [1–4]. During the pandemic, healthcare systems grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases encountered sustained disruptions to TB services [1], potentially delaying diagnosis. Delayed detection of TB amongst hospitalised patients increases risk of nosocomial transmission [5]. In centres that were not overwhelmed, however, increased vigilance for respiratory symptoms may potentially translate into increased detection of active pulmonary tuberculosis (pTB) amongst hospitalised patients.