The COVID-19 and TB syndemic: the way forward

Abstract

Together, SARS-CoV-2 and M. tuberculosis have killed approximately 5.7 million people worldwide over the past 2 years. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the non-pharmaceutical interventions to mitigate COVID-19 transmission (including social distancing regulations, partial lockdowns and quarantines), have disrupted healthcare services and led to a reallocation of resources to COVID-19 care. There has also been a tragic loss of healthcare workers who succumbed to the disease. This has had consequences for TB services, and the fear of contracting COVID-19 may also have contributed to reduced access to TB services. Altogether, this is projected to have resulted in a 5-year setback in terms of mortality from TB and a 9-year setback in terms of TB detection. In addition, past and present TB disease has been reported to increase both COVID-19 fatality and incidence. Similarly, COVID-19 may adversely affect TB outcomes. From a more positive perspective, the pandemic has also created opportunities to improve TB care. In this review, we highlight similarities and differences between these two infectious diseases, describe gaps in our knowledge and discuss solutions and priorities for future research.