Individuals with latent tuberculosis in a high TB endemic country show mild COVID-19.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) may result in active tuberculosis (TB), bacterial clearance, or asymptomatic latent infection (LTBi). During the COVID-19 pandemic, interactions between MTB and SARS-CoV-2 infections were coincident in high TB burden countries such as Pakistan. The impact of LTBi on COVID-19 is not well understood. Here we investigated the association of LTBi with COVID-19 and its severity by determining cellular activation to MTB, IgG antibody responses and expression of genes associated with host immunity.

Methods

Age and sex matched Healthy Controls (HC, n = 147) and COVID-19 patients (n = 128) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. COVID-19 was categorized as ambulatory (n = 103) or hospitalized (n = 25) disease. LTBi wa

SUBMITTER: Abbas U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12753056 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature