Experience of outpatient management of tuberculosis patients under spread of coronaviral infection

Abstract

The new coronaviral infection COVID-19 pandemia is the seriously challenge for national health systems. Under COVID-19 pandemia the Moscow TB control facilities, along with TB diagnostic, treatment and prophylaxis, obtain new important components, such as preventing the spread of COVID-19 in their patients and stuff. By order of Moscow Research and Clinical Center for TB Control in the South-West filial of Center organized the treatment at home for 148 outpatients with sputum/smear negative TB (male – 66,9%, female – 33,1%). New patients amount to 59,5%, relapses – 6,8%, arriving from other Russia regions – 2,7%, other retreatment cases – 31%. The most numerous were patients with TB infiltrates (pneumonia) (66,2%), nodulus or lung dissemination have 13,5% and 10,8%, in 5,4% tuberculoma was obtained, cirrhotic or fibrotic cavernous process – in 2% each. The most part of patients (49,3%) receive III chemotherapy regimen, 20,3% – I, 19,6% – IV, 6,8% – V, 4,1% – II РХТ. There were no cases of treatment interruption. Implemented the new organizational methods of TB patients’ management: active home visits by medical stuff to patients (totally 1834 visits), the interaction between doctor and patient by videocams’ and by messengers, phones and e-mail (6230 contacts).