Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40305503›Full record

ArticlePLOS global public health2025

Self-reported COVID-19 severity among persons with tuberculosis infection in western Kenya, 2021.

Hellen C Barsosio, Brian Tangara, Joshua Ongalo, Morine Achieng, Tegwen Marlais, Kimberly D McCarthy, Kephas Otieno, Miriam Wanjiku, Julian Matthewman, David Allen and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLOS global public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Hellen C BarsosioCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Brian TangaraCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Joshua OngaloCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Morine AchiengCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Tegwen MarlaisDepartment of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0955-9807
Kimberly D McCarthyDivision of Global HIV & TB (DGHT), Global Health Center (GHC), U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Kisumu, Kenya.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1838-3260
Kephas OtienoCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Miriam WanjikuCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Julian MatthewmanDepartment of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
David AllenDepartment of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Luke HannanDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Anand DateDGHT, GHC, U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Maia LesoskyDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2026-958X
Simon KariukiCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Aaron M SamuelsDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8355-8186
Chris DrakeleyDepartment of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Feiko O Ter KuileCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.
Taraz SamandariDivision of Global HIV & TB (DGHT), Global Health Center (GHC), U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Kisumu, Kenya.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4830-6108

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Whilst a quarter of the world's population is estimated to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, it is unknown whether TB infection (TBI) increases the risk of severe COVID-19, which is relevant in TB-endemic settings, especially where HIV co-infection is also common. A convenience cohort of symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients aged 8-80 years in western Kenya was followed daily for 14 days to assess disease progression using the validated inFLUenza-Patient-Reported-Outcome Plus signs and symptom tool. Nasal swabbing for SARS-CoV-2 was conducted to confirm the virus using polymerase chain reaction. QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus was used to diagnose TBI. HIV status was based on self-reports. Between January 3, 2021, and January 20, 2022, 373 out of 387 participants had conclusive QuantiFERON results. At baseline, 5.9% (22/373) had self-reported severe COVID-19, 33.2% (124/373) had TBI, and 11.1% (38/341) reported being HIV-infected. Median follow-up of the cohort was 105 days (range 0-368). Self-reported severe COVID-19 was experienced by 10 of 124 (8.1%) participants compared with 12 of 249 (4.8%) without TBI (odds ratio [OR] 1.73, 95% CI 0.73-4.12, p = 0.21). HIV was not associated with self-reported severe COVID-19 (OR 3.13, 0.96-8.77, p = 0.039, adjusted OR 2.77, 95%CI 0.84-7.93, p = 0.070), but age ≥ 50 years was associated with self-reported severe COVID-19 (OR 3.73, 1.47-9.07, p = 0.004, adjusted OR 2.91, 95%CI 1.02-7.69, p = 0.035). One participant died of COVID-19 three days after diagnosis, and another participant developed active TB 128 days after his COVID-19 diagnosis and was successfully treated. Both were QuantiFERON positive. Self-reported severe COVID-19 was associated with older age and not TBI. Our finding that increased age was associated with self-reported severe COVID-19 is consistent with findings in multiple settings around the world.

Identifiers

PMID40305503
PMCPMC12043119

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.