(February 1, 2023) Prince of Songkla University held a press conference on research findings at Prince of Songkla University. Patients with pneumonia due to COVID-19 infection There was a risk of pulmonary tuberculosis at the meeting room 1, Office of the President. Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. eClinicalMedicine which is a medical journal affiliated with the Lancet group that is globally recognized This research is the work of Dr. Polkrit Khamwicha, Department of Epidemiology. Faculty of Medicine Prince of Songkla University, with Professor Dr. Weerasak M.D. Jongsoowiwatwong as an advisor which has conducted a research study based on data from patients infected with COVID-19 and have symptoms of pneumonia There is a risk of tuberculosis as high as 7 times that of normal people.
By studying data from COVID-19 patients during the year 2021 where there was an outbreak of Delta and Alpha strains in the area of Health Area 12, which consists of 7 southern provinces, namely Trang, Phatthalung, Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala, approximately more than 20,000 people, with support from research data from National Health Security Office (NHSO) and research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA.
Dr. Polkrit Khamvicha mentioned the origin of this research that has carried out a research project to collect follow-up data on tuberculosis drug intake around the beginning of January 2022 from a rough treatment history Of the volunteer patients in all cases, it was found that most TB patients had a history of receiving COVID-19 inpatient treatment, which is basically about 1 in 3 Thai people who are infected with TB but do not have any symptoms. other and not infect others It’s called latent tuberculosis. Therefore, Thailand is still an area where tuberculosis is spreading. Even in everyday life, it is not common to see anyone suffering from tuberculosis. Because normal people’s immunity can control tuberculosis from causing disease. Therefore, there is a suspicion that COVID-19 May weaken the immune system of an infected person. from fatigue of the immune response to COVID-19 especially in cases with pneumonia This makes people more at risk of tuberculosis. Therefore, the registration data for both COVID-19 and tuberculosis were retrospectively studied to compare the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among patients with COVID-19-associated pneumonia. discharged from the hospital and the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among people without evidence of ever being infected with COVID-19. By following up the data of all patients for at least 6 months, it was found that COVID-19 pneumonia patients After being treated until recovering and discharged from the hospital. There is a risk of pulmonary tuberculosis 7 times higher than the general population.
Prof. Dr. Weerasak Jongsoowiwatwong course chair Department of Epidemiology Faculty of Medicine Prince of Songkla University said that tuberculosis is a disease that is still a problem in Thailand. but a curable disease and not a terrible disease when knowing that there is a risk of tuberculosis Must be treated as soon as possible from the start and screening. Most of the patients at risk of tuberculosis are HIV-infected patients and diabetic patients. From the results of this research, it was found that patients with pneumonia caused by COVID-19 infection It’s also a risk group. Which people who are at risk should have to take good care of themselves. And go see a doctor for continuous follow-up. And the public health system has to take special care of this group of people.