DO LATENT TUBERCULOSIS AND AGE IMPACT THE POST-COVID-19 EXPERIENCE?

Background: There is not enough information about the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection in those who have recovered. According to epidemiological studies, COVID-19 progresses less severely in countries where the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine is regularly applied than in those where it is not. The purified protein derivative of tuberculin is an indicator of the Bacillus CalmetteGuerin vaccine's protective effectiveness against latent tuberculosis. In our study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between latent tuberculosisand the permanent effects of COVID-19.Our objective was to analyze the long-term relationship between latent tuberculosisand COVID-19. Materials and Method: We included all clinical, laboratory, and radiological baseline data of patients who were hospitalised for COVID-19 pneumonia between 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic in our study and compared them with data from six months later. Results: Although there was no statistically significant correlation between purified protein derivative of tuberculin positivity and the long-term effects of COVID-19 (p = 0.084), age exhibited a statistically significant relationship with the presence of post-COVID-19 sequelae (p = 0.004). Patients with chronic pulmonary disease displayed a significantly greater percentage of symptoms (p=0.005). Conclusion: We could not find any relationship between purified protein derivative of-tuberculin latent tuberculosis infection and long COVID-19 symptoms. We observed sequelae lesions more frequently in the follow-up of elderly patients. Post-COVID-19 symptoms were more common in patients with chronic lung disease. Thus, it is recommended to prioritise radiological and clinical follow-up in elderly patients and those with chronic lung conditions.