Emergence of Pulmonary Tuberculosis While Recovering From COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Case Report

Abstract

COVID-19 can have different presentations; from asymptomatic to multiorgan involvement. This case report is of an elderly gentleman, with known comorbidities of chronic obstructive airway disease and alcoholic liver disease on treatment. He presented with a history of increasing dyspnea and cough for a few days which was present after cold symptoms, and was admitted for the treatment of severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Later, while he was recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia, his respiratory symptoms worsened. After a thorough evaluation, his sputum smear was positive for acid-fast bacilli and also rifampicin sensitive on GeneXpert assay. With timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, he recovered from both acute conditions and was sent home on the twentieth day of admission.

Keywords: copd (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); covid 19; covid pneumonia; hospital-acquired pneumonia; tb: tuberculosis.

Figure 1. Chest X-ray showing bilateral infiltrates.

Figure 2. Chest X-ray showing a decrease in the bilateral infiltrates.

Figure 3. High-resolution computed tomography of the chest revealing bilateral multiple peripheral and some central consolidative lesions on bilateral lungs and emphysematous changes.

Figure 4. Chest X-ray showing significantly increased infiltrates, more over the left middle zone.