COVID-19 and Tuberculosis: Unveiling the Dual Threat and Shared Solutions Perspective.

The year 2020 will likely be remembered as the year dominated by COVID-19, or coronavirus disease. The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for this pandemic, can be traced back to late 2019 in China. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the tuberculosis (TB) care system, reducing TB testing and reporting. This can be attributed to the disruption of TB services and restrictions on patient movement, consequently increasing TB-related deaths. This perspective review aims to highlight the intersection between COVID-19 and TB, highlighting their dual threat and identifying shared solutions to address these two infectious diseases effectively. There are several shared commonalities between COVID-19 and tuberculosis, particularly the transmission of their causative agents, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Both pathogens are transmitted via respiratory tract secretions. TB and COVID-19 are diseases that can be transmitted through droplets and airborne particles, and their primary target is typically the lungs. Regarding COVID-19 diagnostics, several methods are available for rapid and accurate detection. These include RT-PCR, which can provide results within two hours, and rapid antigen test kits that offer results in just a few minutes. The availability of point-of-care self-testing further enhances convenience. On the other hand, various approaches are employed for TB diagnostics to swiftly identify active TB. These include sputum microscopy, sputum for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and chest X-rays. These methods enable the rapid detection of active TB on the same day, while culture-based testing may take significantly longer, ranging from 2 to 8 weeks. The utilization of diverse diagnostic tools helps ensure the timely identification and management of COVID-19 and TB cases. The quality of life of patients affected by COVID-19 and tuberculosis (TB) can be significantly impacted due to the nature of these diseases and their associated challenges. In conclusion, it is crucial to emphasize the urgent need to address the dual threat of COVID-19 and TB. Both diseases have devastated global health, and their convergence poses an even greater challenge. Collaborative efforts, research investments, and policy reforms are essential to tackle this dual threat effectively.

Diagnosis of lung cancer by flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy: a descriptive study.

Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) remains the most important minimally invasive method for the diagnosis of lung cancer (LC). We performed a retrospective study to assess the main endoscopic findings of malignant lung tumors in the large airways in a cohort of Romanian patients. The group consisted of 32 (84.21%) men and six (15.78%) women, with an average age of 64.63±6.07 years. The bronchoscopic examination allowed the detection and biopsy of 36 malignant lung tumors, and in two other cases, due to malignant atelectasis, the patients were sent to a Department of Thoracic Surgery, to perform the biopsy following the surgery. Histopathological (HP) examination revealed the presence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in 19 (50%) patients, adenocarcinoma (ADC) in 11 (28.94%) patients and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in eight (21.05%) patients. The macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the lung tumors showed that infiltrative forms were found in most cases (58.33%), followed by exophytic (mass) endobronchial lesions (22.22%) and mixed forms (19.44%). If most infiltrative forms were SCC (66.66%), the exophytic and mixed lesions were most frequently ADC (50% and 57.14%). The tumor lesions caused both malignant bronchial stenosis (57.89%) and malignant atelectasis (42.1%). The main mechanisms involved in bronchial malignant obstruction were endoluminal (50%), mixed (31.57%) and extraluminal (18.42%) mechanisms. In conclusion, FFB remains the main method of diagnosing LC in the large airways. The most common macroscopic appearance of lung tumors revealed by bronchoscopy was the infiltrative appearance. In half of our patients, the malignant bronchial obstruction was achieved by endoluminal mechanism. The most common pathological form found in our patients was the SCC, as described in half of the investigated patients.

Positive Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Among Patients with Obstructive Ventilatory Dysfunction Post COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) infection appeared for the first time in Wuhan, China in December 2019, and in March 2020 it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Thus, a new disease was registered-COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). Our study followed the patients who had the diagnosis of obstructive ventilatory dysfunction in their personal pathological antecedents, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The patients were in the hospital records with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. After discharge, patients had a number of outstanding symptoms: fatigue, cough, dyspnea, mental and cognitive disorders, palpitations, headaches, dysfunctions of taste and smell. All patients underwent pulmonary rehabilitation after hospitalization. AIMS: In this study, we looked at the benefits of respiratory rehabilitation over a period of six months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The medical rehabilitation program included physical training, muscle training, nutritional support, psychological support and patient education. METHODS: A retrospective study was defined between April 2021-December 2021, including 72 patients who had SARS-CoV-2 infection and who presented various symptoms on discharge. The study was carried out at the Clinical Hospital of Infectious Disease and Pneumoftiziology "Victor Babeș" from Craiova-Pulmonology Department. These patients had a history of obstructive ventilatory dysfunction: asthma or COPD. Patients were monitored during the respiratory rehabilitation program at 3 and 6 months after discharge. RESULTS: An improvement in clinical and functional parameters was obtained as a result of the pulmonary rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COPD are increase risk to develop severe forms of COVID-19. Smoking is an important risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection and obstructive ventilatory dysfunction. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection is effective, being associated with mild forms of COVID-19. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a key point in the management of patients with COVID-19, improving exercise capacity, reducing dyspnea, improving health, increasing oxygen saturation and quality of life.

The Importance of Accurate Early Diagnosis and Eradication in Helicobacter pylori Infection: Pictorial Summary Review in Children and Adults.

Among the most widespread childhood infections, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) develops potentially life-threatening conditions in adults if not appropriately treated. Helicobacter pylori is a common human pathogen that was first described in the stomach many years ago. The discovery of H. pylori was crucial in gastroenterology; this bacterium is associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, and lymphoid tissue lymphoma related to the gastric mucosa. Studies published so far estimate that approximately 10% of subjects infected with H. pylori develop a peptic ulcer, and 1-3% of subjects develop gastric cancer. The clinical manifestations are variable and characteristically depend on the individual factors of the host. Various methods of detection and diagnosis of H. pylori infection have been developed, each with advantages, disadvantages, and/or limitations. Available diagnostic tests are usually performed using invasive (endoscopy, biopsy, rapid urease test, cultures, and molecular tests) and noninvasive methods (urea breath test, stool antigen examination, and serological and molecular tests). Although there is extensive accessibility for diagnosing and treating H. pylori infection, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is not negligible. Thus, numerous studies and meta-analyses are focused on a new orientation of gastroenterologists in diagnosing and treating H. pylori infections. A fascinating perspective hypothesis is the administration of probiotics to reduce H. pylori adhesion to gastric epithelial cells, preventing H. pylori colonization, especially in children, or reinfection with H. pylori in high-risk adult patients.

Occupational exposure to urinary bladder carcinogens - risk factors, molecular mechanisms and biomarkers.

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most frequent forms of cancer, particularly in Caucasian population. Many environmental factors are recognized as carcinogenic in humans for this form of neoplasia and some of them are related to occupation. In order to illustrate these effects, we have selected several relevant cases with smoking and occupational exposure to carcinogens and their histopathological findings. We reviewed the most important research published in the field of environmental-genomic interaction in relation with the oncogenesis of BC. Three main directions have been identified and described in the article: the environmental factors involved in BC pathogenesis and evolution, the molecular mechanisms involved in cell mitosis control and xenobiotic metabolism related to the qualitative and quantitative exposure and, finally, the possible biomarkers of the tumor evolution. From the genomic and proteomic research, new biomarkers emerged that are in the validation process. Immunohistochemical methods open also new perspectives to the diagnostic algorithms and could serve as prognosis biomarkers.

Long disease-free survival following total sternal resection and reconstruction of the sternum with acrylic cement for unique massive sternal metastasis after operated breast cancer.

Unique sternal metastasis is an uncommon finding in the follow-up of operated breast cancer. We present a case of massive sternal metastasis occurred few years after radical resection of a right mammary cancer, that we solved by total sternal resection and reconstruction of sternum with acrylic cement and Vicryl mesh. The patient is disease-free five years after the operation.

Tuberculosis and its particularities in Romania and worldwide.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health issue, with a rising incidence since the beginning of this century. It poses a severe mortality risk and also poses a serious economic risk as it reduces the working capacity of an individual in the most productive part of life. Developing countries face widespread tuberculosis infection - up to 95% of all cases and 98% of deaths, respectively. It is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the Koch bacillus) that can be contracted from either humans or animal hosts. Infection is also associated with immunodepressive conditions and can be contacted through airborne, digestive, cutaneous or other routes of transmission. Pulmonary TB can be either primary - when events follow a first contact between the organism and the bacillus, and secondary - in case of a reactivation of a latent primary infection. One of the aims of this review is to present the current epidemiological data of TB infections in Romania, compared to the rest of the world, with an analysis of associated conditions and extra-respiratory TB infections. One of the main conclusions of our review is that optimal management of this complex disease can only be achieved through a coherent national prevention and treatment program, with centralized financing and sufficient epidemiological, imaging and laboratory support, in conjunction with good patient compliance.

Tuberculosis of the oral cavity.

Tuberculosis (TB) of the tongue is not a common finding diagnosis, even if consider endemic areas. Tuberculosis of the tongue sometimes can mimic lingual neoplasm. Oral tuberculosis is rarely primary as mechanism, and frequently secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis. There are many suspect lesions that can be classified as tuberculosis, such as tumor mass, ulcerative lesion or fissure. It is very important for diagnosis to perform histopathological examination of the biopsy. We present here the case of a 74-year-old man who developed lingual tuberculosis with a tumor aspect concomitant with pulmonary tuberculosis. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations established the diagnosis of lingual tuberculosis.

Fatal paradoxical cryptic miliary tuberculosis and immune reconstitution disease in a young non-HIV immunocompromised male patient: case report with autopsy findings.

Non-HIV immunocompromised patients may develop immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) as an abnormal response to invading microorganisms, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). IRIS consists in a sudden change in the dominant T-helper responses to inflammation, which is not balanced by anti-inflammatory response, playing a critical role in microbial pathogenesis. A patient with restoration of host immunity during anti-tuberculosis treatment can become gravely ill with a paradoxical severe form of tuberculosis (TB) disease named TB immune reconstitution disease (IRD).The diagnosis of acute cryptic miliary TB is difficult and requires an accurate histopathology. We report a fatal association between a generalized lymphadenitis tuberculosis and IRD in a 34-year-old male patient, non-smoker, non-HIV immunocompromised, but with a previously co-morbid diabetes mellitus (DM) type I. The purpose of this report is to describe an unusual and rare case of a progressive extrapulmonary TB disease to a liver involvement, mimicking a hepatotoxicity secondary to anti-tuberculosis therapy. The diagnosis of disseminated miliary TB with cryptic pulmonary was confirmed later after performing necropsy. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pulmonary and extrapulmonary miliary foci were processed for histology and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. This rare entity of cryptic miliary involvement of the lungs is described more in elderly than in young individuals. In the reported case, IRD induced a paradoxical progressive dissemination of TB lesions leading to death in a patient with an apparent uncomplicated form of lymphadenitis TB.

[Evaluation of COPD patients using CAT-COPD assessment test]. / CAT-COPD assessment test Testul de evaluare a BPOC.

INTRODUCTION: Purposes and objectives. CAT test is a simple questionnaire that quantifies the impact of COPD on patients and doctor-patient communication; it is a complex questionnaire that evaluates the lung function and the impact on quality of life. The score ranges from 0 to 40. The higher the score, the bigger the health problems are. This questionnaire can be used in any language and country, by all COPD patients. METHOD AND MATERIALS: We evaluated 71 COPD patients from Clinical Hospital "Victor Babes" Craiova between 2010-2011. These patients were included in a respiratory rehabilitation program of 16 sessions of physical exercises and education for 8 weeks. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: The average final score was with 12.86% lower than baseline score. The average CAT score after rehabilitation for COPD stage I recorded the best decrease with 16.23%. The program of respiratory rehabilitation has a positive impact no matter BMI. CONCLUSIONS: CAT questionnaire is a sensitive test, easy to fill in that improves the doctor patient communication with a great impact on quality of life.

[Inhaled corticosteroids in COPD and the risk of pneumonia]. / Corticoterapia inhalatorie in BPOC si riscul pneumoniei.

Concern is continuing about increased risk of pneumonia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who use inhaled corticosteroids. The aim of this work is to present a few results from the literature about this problem.

[Importance of diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea to prevent postoperative complications]. / Importanta depistarii si tratamentului sindromului apneei obstructive de somn în prevenirea complicatiilor postoperatorii.

Sleep Apnea is a medical condition, frequently undiagnosed, that leads to significant morbidity and reduced quality of life. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are particularly vulnerable of developing postoperative complications when having surgery or other invasive interventions under general anesthesia; pulmonary and cardiac disorders increase the risk of perioperative complications. We propose in this article to present the importance of polysomnography in the preoperative diagnosis of patients with OSA, initiations of CPAP therapy, treatment of associated disorders for reducing peri-operatory risk of these patients.

[Epidemiology of lung cancer]. / Situatia epidemiologica a cancerului pulmonar.

Lung cancer is nowadays the most spread cancer worldwide, being the main cause of death of all cancers. Lung cancer is the most important and frequent type of lung tumour, representing over 90% of all cases of primary malignant and benign lung tumours. The most deaths of lung cancer occur at 35-75 age group. In the eighties, lung cancer was estimated to be almost 16% of all cancers worldwide and almost 23% of all cancers in Europe. In 1999, lung cancer relative frequency in USA was on top, being followed by colonic cancer and breast cancer relative frequency. In the same year, relative frequency of lung cancer was higher in USA than in Romania both for men (33.97% to 28.4%) and for women (about three times higher in USA than in Romania). According to statistics, lung cancer mortality rate in Romania in 1999 was on the first place in men (comparative with mortality rate of other cancers) and on the third place in women (after breast cancer and uterine collum cancer mortality rate). Lung cancer mortality rate in Romania increased significantly in 1985-2003 period, from 24.9%000 in 1985, to 39.7%000 in 2003. In 2000 year, lung cancer incidence for men in Romania (67.1%000) was lower than in Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Bulgaria but higher than its corresponding value in Macedonia and Albania. Prospective statistic studies estimate that in 2020 year lung cancer incidence for men will be the highest in Greece, Spain and France and the lowest in Great Britain, Ireland, Finland and Sweden. For women, the highest lung cancer incidence is estimated to be in Holland, Denmark and Austria and the lowest in Spain, Ireland and Finland.