Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis control in Mersin province

Objective: All resources of the health system have been allocated to the pandemic to combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic that has affected the world. In addition, measures implemented during the pandemic, such as isolation, lockdown and restricted mobility, adversely affected tuberculosis (TB) control programs in our country and around the world. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB patients and TB control program in Mersin province. Methods: In this study, a total 6328 samples of 3731 patients with a preliminary diagnosis of TB, from Mersin University Hospital and Mersin tuberculosis dispensaries, between January 2019 and December 2020, were included. In the study, how much the number of samples decreased during the 2020 pandemic period, the number of patients diagnosed with TB, the change in the age distribution of the patients, and the number of control samples from the treatment follow-up of TB patients were examined. Results: In the study, a decrease of 42.2% in the number of patients and a decrease of 45.4% in the number of samples were observed during the pandemic period of 2020.The highest decrease in the number of patients by months were observed in March, April and May (respectively 44.2%, 67.2% and 69.8%) when the pandemic started in our country and the restrictions were applied intensively. During the pandemic period, a decrease of 28.2% was observed in the number of TB positive patients. While the mean age of TB positive patients was 53.5±16.2 in 2019, it decreased to 40.3±19.6 years in 2020, and the decrease in the mean age was statistically significant (p <0.001). When the age groups between years are compared;While the rate of patients over 65 years of age was higher in 2019, the rate of patients under the age of 18 was found to be higher in 2020 (p=0.003). In the study, control samples came during treatment follow-up from 73% of TB patients in 2019 and 52.9% in 2020. The rate of decrease in the number of patients with control samples from TB positive patients during the pandemic period was found to be statistically significant (p=0.021). Conclusion: The findings of our study revealed that the restrictions applied during the pandemic period adversely affected the diagnosis and follow-up of TB in our region. In addition, the decrease in the average age of TB patients and the tendency towards younger age and the increase in the number of positive patients under the age of 18 suggest that intra-familial transmission increased in this period. © 2022,Turk Hijyen ve Deneysel Biyoloji Dergisi,All rights reserved