policies enacted to limit the spread of thecurrent COVID-19 pandemic, includinglockdowns, reassignment of resources,healthcare staff, and equipment. TheWorld Health Organization (WHO)estimates that a 3-month lockdownfollowed by a 10-to 12-month recoveryphase will result in a huge increase in TBcases, with 6.3 million new cases and 1.4million TB fatalities registered between2020 and 2025. According to themodeling studies, the COVID-19 pandemicis expected to lead to a 25% reductionglobally in expected TB detection for a 3-month time span, given the levels of TBservice disruption seen in severalcountries. Consequently, we can expect a13% increase in TB deaths, thus sendingus back to the levels of TB mortality seen5 years ago [7]. This could possibly be aconservative estimate because it excludesother potential pandemic effects, such asthe transmission of TB, disruptions intreatment, and worse prognosis inpatients with TB and COVID-19 infection.As a result, an additional 1.4 million TBdeaths could be recorded between 2020and 2025 [8]. All measures shouldtherefore be taken to ensure continuity ofcare so that patients who require TBtreatment, both preventative andcurative, have access to services.[2] Wu F, Zhao S, Yu B, Chen YM, WangW, Song ZG, et al. A new coronavirusasso-ciated with human respiratorydisease in China. Nature.2020;579:265–9. DOIExternal LinkPubMedExternalLink.[3] Hopewell PC. Factors influencing thetransmission and infectivity ofMycobacterium tuberculosis: implicationfor clinical and public healthmanagement of tuberculosis. In: SandeMA, Root RK, Hudson LD, editors.Respiratory Infections. New York:Churchill Livingstone Inc.; 1986. P. 191–216.[4] Meyerowitz EA, Richterman A,Gandhi RT, Sax PE. Transmission ofSARS-CoV-2: a review of viral, host, andenvironmental factors. Ann Intern Med.2020;•••:M20-5008; Epub ahead of print.DOIExternal LinkPubMedExternal Link.[5] D. Visca, C.W.M. Ong, S. Tiberi, R.Centis, et al. Tuberculosis and COVID-19interaction: A review of biological,clinical and public health effects.Pulmonology. 2021 (Vol 27, Issue 2, Pages151-165).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pulmoe.2020.12.012.(Image Credit: DW)Khundi, M., Dodd, P., Ku, C., Kawalazira,G., Choko, A., Divala, T., Corbett, E.,MacPherson, P. (2021). Effects ofCoronavirus Disease Pandemic onTuberculosis Notifications, Malawi.Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(7), 1831-1839.https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2707.210557.ABOUT THE AUTHOR(Image Credit: eMedicineHealth)References[1] WHO. 2019. Global tuberculosisreport. World Health Organization,Geneva,Switzerlandhttps://www.who.int/tb/publications/global_report/en/.[6] Mousquer, G. T., Peres, A., &Fiegenbaum, M. (2021). Pathology ofTB/COVID-19 Co-Infection: The phantommenace. Tuberculosis (Edinburgh,Scotland), 126, 102020.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tube.2020.102020.[7] Cilloni L, Fu H, Vesga JF, Dowdy D,Pretorius C, Ahmedov S, Nair SA,Mosneaga A, Masini E, Sahu S,Arinaminpathy N. The potential impactof the COVID-19 pandemic on thetuberculosis epidemic a modellinganalysis. EClinicalMedicine.2020 Oct 24;28:100603. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100603. PMID:33134905; PMCID: PMC7584493.[8] Soko, R., Burke, R. M., Feasey, H.,Sibande, W., Nliwasa, M., Henrion, M.,Adwaith Hariharan is a junior atBiotechnology High School in NewJersey. He is interested in theintersection of technology, sciences,and social entrepreneurship. This drivehas him giving back to his communitythrough research involving AI, MachineLearning, and health analytics. As aSTEM DEI advocate, he strives to createand lead STEM conferences, hackathons,and science camps to empoweryouth, underprivileged, and neurodivergentstudents around the world.22| SUMMER 2021
{PHOTO CREDITS: CC SEARCH}HANNAH PESCARUEUNOIA GLOBAL HEALTH |23
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