Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and anti-epidemic measures on TB care

Abstract

Purpose. To describe the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on TB care. Results. Active TB detection was affected by the restrictions of population mobility („lockdown”), which led to an increase in the proportion of TB patients diagnosed passively and post-mortem, as well as in the number of newly diagnosed TB patients with fibro-cavitary tuberculosis. COVID-19 pandemic (with and without lockdown) has led to a decrease in the number of notified new TB cases in adults. The number of hospitalizations of TB patients in the inpatient clinics and sanatoriums has decreased. in Russia, it was possible to avoid a disruption in the supply of TB drugs associated with COVID-19 pandemic and a massive loss to follow-up of TB patients. Conclusion. Lockdowns during COVID-19 pandemic lead to a disruption of active TB case detection, an increase in the number of advanced forms of TB and post-mortem detection. Decline in TB detection is also noted beyond the lockdown; perhaps this is due to an excessive workload in the health care system. Quarantine measures lead to a decrease in the throughput capacity of TB hospitals