To prevent the WHO-projected increase in tuberculosis morbidity and mortality rates associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Moscow city management and organizational decisions aimed at providing high-quality and effective anti-tuberculosis care at all stages of disease prevention, detection, treatment and dispensary monitoring of risk groups have been adopted. The main additional problems were the treatment of patients with co-infection with COVID-19/tuberculosis and the prevention of COVID-19 spread in other tuberculosis patients, primarily those in the inpatient clinics. Conducted a SWOT analysis of the situation, describes the main organizational and medical activities (including psychological help), especially discussed the need to strengthen measures for the prevention and detection of TB in terms of mode isolation for the new coronavirus infection. According to the results of 11 months of 2020 in the city of Moscow, there is no increase in the number of cases and deaths from tuberculosis, both in absolute and relative numbers of the population.

The analysis of organizational, anti-epidemic, diagnostic and therapeutic measures in a multidisciplinary tuberculosis hospital was carried out during the development of the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures were implemented and aimed to prevent (reduce the risk) the importation and spread of COVID-19 among patients, medical workers and non-medical workers, to ensure timely diagnosis of new coronavirus infection and to implement the main function of the hospital – the provision of qualified specialized medical care to patients with tuberculosis of various localizations, including surgical. The main problems of infectious safety, the quality of diagnosis and treatment at the risk of co-infection spreading were analyzed.

The article describes the experience of prompt response and organization activity on the inclusion of medical workers of the Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Tuberculosis Control of the Moscow Government Department of Health into the mobile medical teams of the A.S. Puchkov Station of Ambulance and Emergency Care of the Moscow Department of Health in order to conduct an initial examination of persons who arrived from countries with an unfavorable situation with the spread of a new coronavirus infection
caused by SARS-CoV-2, and contact persons with a new coronavirus infection.
The favorable epidemic situation for tuberculosis in the city of Moscow and temporary restrictive measures, experience of working with infectious patients allowed the employees of the antituberculosis organization to mobilize in a short time and join the work with contact persons of the new coronavirus infection, assigned to the II pathogenicity group.
The practical experience, methodological materials and work algorithms obtained in implementation of the measures could be used by other medical organizations in case of necessity to carry out similar activities.

The article is devoted to the development and phased implementation of the national electronic registry of patients with tuberculosis (E-TB register) in the Republic of Tajikistan (RT). On the example of the implementation of the E-TB register in the Republic of Tajikistan, an analysis of the problems that arise at various stages of implementation similar information systems and ways to overcome them is presented. Information is given on the purpose, functions of the system, its structure and modules, the results of implementation are described and further prospects for the development of this system are considered.
Taking into account the experience of introducing similar systems in other countries and regions, in particular, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, can be crucial for the fight against tuberculosis and the successful implementation of national programs.

Autopsy material from 20 dead patients with co-infection tuberculosis/COVID-19 and 5 dead от COVID-19, without TB, studied. In co-infected patients the lungs showed signs, specific for each of the diseases. The changes were like a mosaic (with alternation of zones of TB-inflammation and viral pneumonia), or they were located in different segments and lobes of the lung. Pathological manifestations of COVID-19 were identical in both study groups. COVID-19 aggravates the severity of the condition in patients with advanced and destructive TB by the volume of lung damage increase due to the viral and viralbacterial pneumonia, diffuse alveolar lung damage. In co-infected patients bacterial pneumonia developed 1.5 times more often, a possible reason for this is – pre-existing lung compromise due to a long course of tuberculosis, immunological disbalance in TB-patients. Some cases clinical hyperdiagnostic of the new coronaviral infection identified, the autopsy revealed the diseases with interstitial lesions and similar with COVID-19 clinical symptoms.

In the context of a worsening epidemic situation in the Russian Federation and, in particular, in Moscow the MRCCTC was tasked with organizing, equipping and maintaining a PCR laboratory to detect SARS-Cov-2 in the diagnostic material of the center’s employees and patients, as well as persons with suspected COVID-19 examined with the involvement of mobile ambulance teams. For this, in the shortest possible time a plan was developed and successfully implemented for the reconstruction and equipment of a PCR laboratory for the diagnosis of new coronavirus infection COVID-19.

Little is known about the relationship between the COVID-19 and tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study is to describe a group of patients who died with TB (active disease or sequelae) and COVID-19. Data from 215 hospitalized patients with TB and COVID-19 were analyzed. Demographic and clinical variables were retrospectively collected, including co-morbidities and risk factors for TB and COVID-19 mortality. The median age of the cases was 43 years, and the male/female ratio was 2.5/1.0. Out of 215 patients 131 (60.9%) were migrants and 32 (14.9%) were homeless. Overall, 22 out of 215 (10.2%) patients died. All of them had 81 concomitant diseases, i.e. 2.8 per patient. Mortality rate was higher in intensive care unit (ICU) than hospital at all was three times higher than in the clinic as a whole: 29.6% vs 10.2% (p < 0.05). The highest rates were among patients aged over 60 (23.3%) vs patients aged 18 to 60 (8.1%) (p < 0,05). Active tuberculosis diagnosed in 20 (90.9%) of died patients, sequelae – in 2 (9.1%). The main cause of mortality was COVID-19 (11 cases – 50.0%), HIV – in 5 (22.7%) cases, TB – in 4 (18.2%), other diseases – in 2 (9.1%). The study findings show that susceptibility of tuberculosis patients to SARS-CoV-2 is most typical in age from 18 until 60 years (86.0%), in men mostly (71.2%). Almost every third case (29.8%) of COVID-19/TB co-infection occurs in HIV+ patients. 29.6% of patients with combined SARS-CoV-2/TB infection need treatment in ICU. 8.8% of patients underwent surgery.

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).

The article describes the features of psychological counselling and psychological support for tuberculosis patients during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic from April to June 2020. 625 consultations were provided remotely via the Internet or phone including toll-free emergency psychological assistance hotline, videotelephony and online chat services (WhatsApp, Viber, Skype). All the hotline calls displayed a high level of anxiety; approximately 70 per cent of the callers required informational support while the remaining 30 per cent asked for emergency psychological help. In conclusion, remote psychological counselling with the use of modern communication technologies is considered as an effective way to provide psychological support in an emergency and also a further opportunity for counselling of tuberculosis patients during the treatment for tuberculosis and other socially significant diseases.

The article is devoted to measures aimed at preventing the introduction and spread of the causative agent of COVID-19, implemented in an anti-tuberculosis facility, includes inpatient clinic. The main areas of activity are presented: work with stuff, anti-epidemic work, work with patients (including outpatient and inpatient care), as well as the main regulatory documents. The use of personal protective equipment by stuff, compliance with all necessary safety standards and sanitary and epidemiological regime, as well as the organization of the facility’s work taking into account all possible factors of infection and the use of information technologies (ERIS) allowed to minimize the risk of patients ‘ disease, as evidenced by the absence of patients with a new coronavirus infection during the period of restrictive measures.