Pulmonary tuberculosis in the context of covid-19. Demographic characteristics and risk factors in Moldova and Ukraine

Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the main demographic characteristics and risk factors associated with tuberculosis (TB) before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Moldova (RM) and Ukraine (UA) to identify the key determinants of their trends. A prospective case-control study was conducted between 2018 and 2023, including two cohorts: Moldovan (MD) comprised 1617 and Ukrainian (UA) 896 patients divided into three groups: 1st group corresponding to the pre-COVID-19 period (2018–2019), 2nd group (n=451) corresponding to the COVID-19 period (2020-2021), and 3rd group- post pandemic period (2022–2023). The main determinants influencing TB trends were the combination of social conditions (unemployment, low educational level, deprived housing, institutionalization), associated to malnutrition, harmful behaviors (smoking, alcohol, drug use), and increasing rate of comorbidities such as HIV, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and mental disorders, with each country having a distinct risk profile marked by the pandemic-related conditions.