Little is known about the relationship between the COVID-19 and tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study is to describe a group of patients who died with TB (active disease or sequelae) and COVID-19 ...in two cohorts.
Data from 49 consecutive cases in 8 countries (cohort A) and 20 hospitalised patients with TB and COVID-19 (cohort B) were analysed and patients who died were described. Demographic and clinical variables were retrospectively collected, including co-morbidities and risk factors for TB and COVID-19 mortality.
Overall, 8 out of 69 (11.6%) patients died, 7 from cohort A (14.3%) and one from cohort B (5%).
Out of 69 patients 43 were migrants, 26/49 (53.1%) in cohort A and 17/20 (85.0%) in cohort B.
Migrants: (1) were younger than natives; in cohort A the median (IQR) age was 40 (27–49) VS. 66 (46–70) years, whereas in cohort B 37 (27–46) VS. 48 (47–60) years; (2) had a lower mortality rate than natives (1/43, 2.3% versus 7/26, 26.9%; p-value: 0.002); (3) had fewer co-morbidities than natives (23/43, 53.5% versus 5/26–19.2%) natives; p-value: 0.005).
The study findings show that: (1) mortality is likely to occur in elderly patients with co-morbidities; (2) TB might not be a major determinant of mortality and (3) migrants had lower mortality, probably because of their younger age and lower number of co-morbidities. However, in settings where advanced forms of TB frequently occur and are caused by drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis, higher mortality rates can be expected in young individuals.
The present review is part of the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biological therapies.
To review, from an Infectious ...Diseases perspective, the safety profile of agents targeting tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and to suggest preventive recommendations.
Computer-based MEDLINE searches with MeSH terms pertaining to each agent or therapeutic family.
Preclinical and clinical evidence indicate that anti-TNF-α therapy (infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, certolizumab pegol and etanercept) is associated with a two-to four-fold increase in the risk of active tuberculosis and other granulomatous conditions (mostly resulting from the reactivation of a latent infection). In addition, it may lead to the occurrence of other serious infections (bacterial, fungal, opportunistic and certain viral infections). These associated risks seem to be lower for etanercept than other agents. Screening for latent tuberculosis infection should be performed before starting anti-TNF-α therapy, followed by anti-tuberculosis therapy if appropriate. Screening for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is also recommended, and antiviral prophylaxis may be warranted for hepatitis B surface antigen-positive individuals. No benefit is expected from the use of antibacterial, anti-Pneumocystis or antifungal prophylaxis. Pneumococcal and age-appropriate antiviral vaccinations (i.e. influenza) should be administered. Live-virus vaccines (i.e. varicella-zoster virus or measles–mumps–rubella) may be contraindicated in people receiving anti-TNF-α therapy, although additional data are needed before definitive recommendations can be made.
Prevention measures should be implemented to reduce the risk of latent tuberculosis or HBV reactivation among individuals receiving anti-TNF-α therapy.
Evidence is accumulating on the interaction between tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19.
The aim of the present review is to report the available evidence on the interaction between these two infections. ...Differences and similarities of TB and COVID-19, their immunological features, diagnostics, epidemiological and clinical characteristics and public health implications are discussed. The key published documents and guidelines on the topic have been reviewed.
Based on the immunological mechanism involved, a shared dysregulation of immune responses in COVID-19 and TB has been found, suggesting a dual risk posed by co-infection worsening COVID-19 severity and favouring TB disease progression.
The available evidence on clinical aspects suggests that COVID-19 happens regardless of TB occurrence either before, during or after an active TB diagnosis. More evidence is required to determine if COVID-19 may reactivate or worsen active TB disease. The role of sequeale and the need for further rehabilitation must be further studied
Similarly, the potential role of drugs prescribed during the initial phase to treat COVID-19 and their interaction with anti-TB drugs require caution. Regarding risk of morbidity and mortality, several risk scores for COVID-19 and independent risk factors for TB have been identified: including, among others, age, poverty, malnutrition and co-morbidities (HIV co-infection, diabetes, etc.). Additional evidence is expected to be provided by the ongoing global TB/COVID-19 study.
This review evaluates the risk of tuberculosis (TB), adherence with recommendations for TB prevention, and host-related risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, and ...ankylosing spondylitis receiving infliximab (IFX), adalimumab (ADA), and etanercept (ETN) through an analysis of phase III randomized controlled trials (RCT), postmarketing surveillance, and national registries. Ten (0.21%) TB cases occurred among 4590 patients in 16 RCT of IFX, 9 (0.12%) among 7009 patients in 21 RCT of ADA, and 4 (0.05%) among 7741 patients in 26 RCT of ETN. Overall, 19/23 (83%) TB cases occurred in patients with RA. Data from national registries and postmarketing surveillance showed an increased risk of TB in patients receiving any of the 3 anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs, with a 3-4 times higher risk associated with IFX and ADA than with ETN. Deviations from recommended TB prevention procedures were observed in up to 80% of patients, and most registries did not include data on host-related risk factors for TB. TB occurrence was reduced in recent RCT but not in real-life practice. TB risk was lower for ETN than for monoclonal antibody anti-TNF agents. More complete data collection, including host-related TB risk factors, is advisable to avoid biased results.
Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease. HIV and diabetes are recognised risk factors for progression of TB disease and both have a strong ...impact on the diagnosis and management of TB, threatening efforts to end TB globally.
Here we provide the latest data on the complex interplay between these conditions. TB patients with HIV present systemic immune activation, increased HIV viral load, more severe clinical presentations and reduced success of TB therapy. Similarly, TB patients with diabetes are characterised
by an exaggerated adaptive immunity, worsening of the clinical presentations and a higher risk for multidrug resistance and treatment failure. It is important to strengthen resources to prevent these comorbidities from occurring and to implement screening, early diagnosis and appropriate management
strategies.
The QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) represents the new QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube (QFT-GIT) to identify latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). The main differences is the addition of a new tube ...containing shorter peptides stimulating CD8 T-cells. Aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of QFT-Plus compared with QFT-GIT in a cross sectional study of individuals with or without tuberculosis (TB).
We enrolled 179 participants: 19 healthy donors, 58 LTBI, 33 cured TB and 69 active TB. QFT-Plus and QFT-GIT were performed.
The two tests showed a substantial agreement. Moreover we found a similar sensitivity in active TB and same specificity in healthy donors. A higher proportion of the LTBI subjects responded to both TB1 and TB2 compared to those with active TB (97% vs 81%). Moreover, a selective response to TB2 was associated with active TB (9%) and with a severe TB disease, suggesting that TB2 stimulation induces a CD8 T-cell response in absence of a CD4-response.
In conclusion, QFT-Plus and QFT-GIT assays showed a substantial agreement and similar accuracy for active TB detection. Interestingly, a higher proportion of the LTBI subjects responded concomitantly to TB1 and TB2 compared to those with active TB, whereas a selective TB2 response associated with active TB.
Tuberculosis control relies on the identification and preventive treatment of individuals who are latently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, direct identification of latent ...tuberculosis infection is not possible. The diagnostic tests used to identify individuals latently infected with M. tuberculosis, the in vivo tuberculin skin test and the ex vivo interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs), are designed to identify an adaptive immune response against, but not necessarily a latent infection with, M. tuberculosis. The proportion of individuals who truly remain infected with M. tuberculosis after tuberculin skin test or IGRA conversion is unknown. It is also uncertain how long adaptive immune responses towards mycobacterial antigens persist in the absence of live mycobacteria. Clinical management and public healthcare policies for preventive chemotherapy against tuberculosis could be improved, if we were to gain a better understanding on M. tuberculosis latency and reactivation. This statement by the TBNET summarises knowledge and limitations of the currently available tests used in adults and children for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection. In summary, the main issue regarding testing is to restrict it to those who are known to be at higher risk of developing tuberculosis and who are willing to accept preventive chemotherapy.
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the accuracy of the QuantiFERON-TB® Gold In-Tube (QFT-G-IT) and the T-SPOT®.TB assays with the tuberculin skin test (TST) for the ...diagnosis of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI). The Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were explored for relevant articles in November 2009. Specificities, and negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive values of interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) and the TST, and the exposure gradient influences on test results among bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccinees were evaluated. Specificity of IGRAs varied 98-100%. In immunocompetent adults, NPV for progression to tuberculosis within 2 yrs were 97.8% for T-SPOT®.TB and 99.8% for QFT-G-IT. When test performance of an immunodiagnostic test was not restricted to prior positivity of another test, progression rates to tuberculosis among IGRA-positive individuals followed for 19-24 months varied 8-15%, exceeding those reported for the TST (2-3%). In multivariate analyses, the odd ratios for TST positivity following BCG vaccination varied 3-25, whereas IGRA results remained uninfluenced and IGRA positivity was clearly associated with exposure to contagious tuberculosis cases. IGRAs may have a relative advantage over the TST in detecting LTBI and allow the exclusion of M. tuberculosis infection with higher reliability.
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