Patients who have recovered from Covid susceptible to tuberculosis

MYSURU: Patients who have won the battle against Covid-19 but struggling with cough lasting more than two weeks, fatigue, fever and suffered weight loss, are being advised to get themselves tested for tuberculosis (TB). A survey and subsequent analysis of the condition of those who recovered from Covid-19 indicated that their immune system had suffered considerable damage, not to mention the weakened state of their lungs, increasing the chances of their contracting TB.
Tuberculosis spreads through air, and from droplets expelled by an infected patient. The sooner it is detected, the better the chances of recovering from the disease. In Mysuru, nearly 82% of the 4,232 patients in Mysuru who contracted TB recovered from the disease, while 79% of the 3,194 people who were diagnosed with TB were cured in 2020. As on Wednesday, the district has recorded 2,140 cases of tuberculosis in 2021.
The district health department, meanwhile, compiled a list of more than one lakh patients who have recovered from Covid-19, sputum samples from whom are being collected and tested for TB in the course of a 15-day campaign. In Mysuru, as many as 88 samples were collected on the first day of the campaign.
Mysuru district TB control officer Dr Mohammed Shiraz said, “We are hoping to subject all 1.14 lakh patients who have recovered from Covid-19 across Mysuru district to a TB test. Those who contracted Covid-19 between January and June 2021 will be tested during this campaign. If any of them exhibits symptoms of TB, we will collect their sputum sample at their doorstep. We appeal to the public to cooperate with the health department personnel.”