Hansen's disease and COVID ‐19 co‐infection in Brazil
Year: 2022
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The implications of COVID-19 co-infection in patients under treatment for Hansen's disease (HD, leprosy) remain uncertain. We aimed to describe clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes in patients with HD and COVID-19 in Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study recruiting adult HD patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 from five HD treatment centers in Brazil between March 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. At the time of this study, no patient had received COVID-19 vaccine. RESULTS: Of 1377 patients under treatment for HD, 70 (5.1%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 41 (58.6%) had PCR-confirmed COVID-19, comprising 19 men and 22 women, aged 24-67 (median 45) years. HD was multibacillary in 39/41 patients. Eight patients ceased WHO Multi-Drug Therapy for HD, three for lack of drugs, two because of COVID-19, and three for other reasons. Of the 33 who continued treatment, 26 were on the standard regimen and seven an alternative regimen. Seventeen patients were receiving oral prednisone, including nine patients with type 1 reaction, four with type 2 reaction, three with neuritis, and one with rheumatologic disease. Twelve patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, and six patients died, of whom three had hypertension and one also had type 2 diabetes and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 and Hansen's disease co-infection did not appear to change the clinical picture of either disease in this cross-sectional study. The wider impact of the pandemic on persons affected by HD requires follow-up and monitoring.
DOI: 10.1111/ijd.16319
Authors: Taynah Alves Rocha Repsold, Simon M. Collin, Raquel Carvalho Bouth, Selma Regina Penha Silva Cerqueira, Marisa Simon Brezinscki, Rebeca Ruppert Galarda Baptista Peixoto, Andrea Maia Fernandes de Araújo Fonseca, Marlene Leandro dos Santos Peixoto, Seyna Rabelo Mendes, Ciro Martins Gomes, Claudio Guedes Salgado, Patrícia D. Deps
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4283764583