Communicable and non-communicable co-morbidities and the presentation of COVID-19 in an African setting of high HIV-1 and tuberculosis prevalence
Authors: du Bruyn Elsa , Stek Cari , Daroowala Remi , Said-Hartley Qonita , Hsiao Marvin , Goliath Rene T. , Abrahams Fatima , Jackson Amanda , Wasserman Sean , Allwood Brian W , Davis Angharad G. , Lai Rachel P-J. , Coussens Anna K. , Wilkinson Katalin A. , de Vries Jantina , Tiffin Nicki , Cerrone Maddalena , Ntusi Ntobeko A. B. , Riou Catherine , Wilkinson Robert J. , Aziz Saalikha , Bangani Nonzwakazi , Black John , Bremer Marise , Burgers Wendy , Ciko Zandile , Esmail Hanif , Gordon Siamon , Harley Yolande X. R. , Lakay Francisco , Martinez-Estrada Fernando-Oneissi , Meintjes Graeme , Mendelson Marc , Papavarnavas Tari , Proust Alize , Ruzive Sheena , Schafer Georgia , Serole Keboile , Whitaker Claire , Zvinairo Kennedy 
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To describe the presentation and outcome of SARS-CoV2 infection in an African setting of high non-communicable co-morbidity and also HIV-1 and tuberculosis prevalence.

Design

Case control analysis with cases stratified by HIV-1 and tuberculosis status.

Setting

A single-centre observational case-control study of adults admitted to a South African hospital with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection or alternative diagnosis.

Participants

104 adults with RT-PCR-proven SARS-CoV2 infection of which 55 (52.9%) were male and 31 (29.8%) HIV-1 co-infected. 40 adults (35.7% male, 30.9% HIV-1 co-infected) admitted during the same period with no RT-PCR or serological evidence of SARS-CoV2 infection and assigned alternative diagnoses. Additional in vitro data from prior studies of 72 healthy controls and 118 HIV-1 uninfected and infected persons participants enrolled to a prior study with either immune evidence of tuberculosis sensitization but no symptoms or microbiologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis.

Results

Two or more co-morbidities were present in 57.7% of 104 RT-PCR proven COVID-19 presentations, the commonest being hypertension (48%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (39%), obesity (31%) but also HIV-1 (30%) and active tuberculosis (14%). Amongst patients dually infected by tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2, clinical features could be dominated by either SARS-CoV-2 or tuberculosis: lymphopenia was exacerbated, and some markers of inflammation (D-dimer and ferritin) elevated in singly SARS-CoV-2 infected patients were even further elevated (p < 0.05). HIV-1 and SARS-CoV2 co-infection resulted in lower absolute number and proportion of CD4 lymphocytes, with those in the lowest peripheral CD4 percentage strata exhibiting absent or lower antibody responses against SARS-CoV2. Death occurred in 30/104 (29%) of all COVID-19 patients and in 6/15 (40%) of patients with coincident SARS-CoV-2 and tuberculosis.

Conclusions

In this South African setting, HIV-1 and tuberculosis are common co-morbidities in patients presenting with COVID-19. In environments in which tuberculosis is common, SARS-CoV-2 and tuberculosis may co-exist with clinical presentation being typical of either disease. Clinical suspicion of exacerbation of co-existent tuberculosis accompanying SARS-CoV-2 should be high.

What is already known on this topic?

It has been quite widely thought that Africa has been spared the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are very few reported case series and no case-control studies comparing COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital to those admitted for other reasons. However several studies have indicated both HIV-1 and tuberculosis co-infection that are endemic in Africa constitute risk factors for poor outcome. In addition Africa is subject to demographic transition and the prevalence of non-communicable co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease is rising rapidly. No study from Africa has described the clinical impact on the presentation of COVID-19 infection.

What this study adds

Two or more co-morbidities were present in over half COVID-19 presentations, including HIV-1 (30%) and active tuberculosis (14%). Patients dually infected by tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2, presented as either SARS-CoV-2 or tuberculosis. HIV-1 and SARS-CoV2 co-infection resulted in lower absolute number and proportion of CD4 lymphocytes, and those with low CD4 counts had absent or lower antibody responses against SARS-CoV2. Death occurred 29% of all COVID-19 patients and in 40% of patients with coincident SARS-CoV-2 and tuberculosis. Thus in environments in which tuberculosis is common, SARS-CoV-2 and tuberculosis may co-exist with clinical presentation being typical of either disease and clinical suspicion of exacerbation of co-existent tuberculosis accompanying SARS-CoV-2 should be high.