Outcome of COVID-19 in Children With Tuberculosis: Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in children and adolescents with tuberculosis. METHODS: We analyzed hospital records for the period May, 2020 to September, 2021 for children who were severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive or SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive. They were divided into two groups viz., those with tuberculosis (tuberculosis group) and those without tuberculosis (non-TB group). Demographic information, symptoms, and outcomes of COVID-19 were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Median (IQR) age of participants was 11 (8,14) and 4.5 (2,9) year for the tuberculosis and non-TB groups, respectively. 93.5% and 36.1% of children were asymptomatic in the tuberculosis and non-TB group, respectively. No variable in the study was significantly associated with COVID-19 positivity in children with tuberculosis. No difference was found in the outcomes of COVID-19 infection in children having tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: No differences were noted in the outcomes of COVID-19 infection in children having tuberculosis.

Disseminated Congenital Tuberculosis in Neonates: A Case Series.

Congenital tuberculosis (CTB) is an uncommon yet, well-defined condition. CTB has a non-specific clinical presentation, making the diagnosis difficult. The rarity of CTB in neonates is due to the difficulty in distinguishing between congenital and postnatally acquired infection, and non-specific symptoms in the newborn, which are often misdiagnosed. Though it has a low incidence, it has significant mortality if the diagnosis is delayed. We are presenting two cases of CTB in newborns who showed signs of disease in the first few days of life. The diagnosis was suspected based on chest computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging brain, cerebrospinal fluid studies, intrauterine growth restriction, non-response to standard treatment and a maternal history of active tuberculosis. These cases highlight the significance of having a high suspicion of CTB and timely treatment for better outcomes.