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.