Outbreaks of COVID-19 in a tuberculosis treatment sanatorium on the Thailand-Myanmar border: a retrospective cohort analysis
Issued Date
2023-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
2398502X
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85210114337
Journal Title
Wellcome Open Research
Volume
8
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Wellcome Open Research Vol.8 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Aung H.K.K., Swe L.L., Saito M., Lesseps S., Janurian N., Tun W.P.P., Maung Maung B., Than A., Watthanaworawit W., Kaewphanderm N., Gornsawun G., Pyae Phyo A., Nosten F. Outbreaks of COVID-19 in a tuberculosis treatment sanatorium on the Thailand-Myanmar border: a retrospective cohort analysis. Wellcome Open Research Vol.8 (2023). doi:10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19275.2 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/102231
Title
Outbreaks of COVID-19 in a tuberculosis treatment sanatorium on the Thailand-Myanmar border: a retrospective cohort analysis
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic condition, with overlapping symptoms to those of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There has been inconsistent evidence on whether TB is a predisposing factor for developing severe COVID-19. The aim of this report is to explore whether TB influences the severity of COVID-19. Methods: COVID-19 cases at two TB sanatoria on the Thailand-Myanmar border were reviewed. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data including TB treatment and co-morbidities, were analyzed. Characteristics and COVID-19 clinical outcomes were compared between two groups of patients: TB and those without TB (the caretakers and the medical personnel). Multivariable ordered logistic regression was conducted to compare the risk of severe COVID-19 between the two groups. Results: Between September 2021 and March 2022, 161 COVID-19 cases were diagnosed. Over half of the COVID-19 patients were infected with TB (n= 104, 64.6%), and the rest were not (n=57, 35.4%). The median (interquartile range) age was 48 (33.5-57.0) and 27 (23-33) years in the TB and in the non-TB COVID-19 patients, respectively. Before COVID-19 infection, 67.1% (106/158) of patients had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The median cycle threshold value at diagnosis was not different between TB (18.5, IQR 16.1-32.3) and non-TB patients (18.8, 15.1-30.0). Fever, gastrointestinal symptoms and ageusia were more common in non-TB patients. Six patients (3.8%, 6/156) all from the TB group became severe of which five (3.2%, 5/156) required oxygen therapy. One TB patient died (1/104, 0.96%) of lung cancer. After adjustment for potential confounders, the final clinical severity was not different between the two groups (adjusted odds ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval 0.16–12.39). Conclusions: TB was not associated with severe outcomes in the two TB sanatoria. The high uptake of COVID-19 vaccination and active screening could have impacted on disease progression and prevented unfavorable outcomes.