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REACTIVATION OF TUBERCULOSIS AND COVID-19
  • +6
  • Gokcen Unal,
  • Fadime Ceyda Eldeniz,
  • Asli Yilmaz,
  • Ozge Metin Akcan,
  • Necdet Poyraz,
  • Fahriye Kılınç,
  • Sevgi Keleş,
  • Ayşe Bulut,
  • Sevgi Pekcan
Gokcen Unal
Necmettin Erbakan Universitesi Meram Tip Fakultesi Hastanesi

Corresponding Author:yildirim.gokcen@hotmail.com

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Fadime Ceyda Eldeniz
Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Hospital
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Asli Yilmaz
Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Hospital
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Ozge Metin Akcan
Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Hospital
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Necdet Poyraz
Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Hospital
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Fahriye Kılınç
Necmettin Erbakan Universitesi Meram Tip Fakultesi Hastanesi
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Sevgi Keleş
Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Hospital
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Ayşe Bulut
TC. sağlık bakanlığı verem savaş dispanseri, konya
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Sevgi Pekcan
Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Hospital
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Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by a novel coronavirus that can lead to severe acute respiratory failure. Recent studies have shown that aggravating factors in the etiology of COVID-19 disease include genetic defects and autoantibodies against type 1 interferon. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an immobile aerobic bacillus that causes tuberculosis disease. SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunosuppressive drugs may temporarily inhibit immunologic system, then may lead to active tuberculosis by reactivation or infection of M. tuberculosis. We aimed to show that there is a relationship between covid-19 infection and an increase in the number of tuberculosis patients. Eight patients diagnosed with tuberculosis in the Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinics of Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Medical Faculty between March 2020 and May 2021 were enrolled in this study. The presence of COVID-19 infection was confirmed by COVID-19 antibody test and patient’s detailed medical history. The patient with negative antibody test was also included in the study if other family members confirmed for COVID-19 infection by RT-PCR. We evaluated demographic data, laboratory findings, imaging tests and pathology results of all patients. The remarkable increase in the number of tuberculosis activation in the recent year suggests the role of COVID-19 infection. The pathologic structure of the virus may be responsible of the increase, although the mechanism is not fully understood. Further research should be done on this topic.