Influence of COVID-19 on the notification of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis cases

Background To analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process of diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases reported in the state of Paraná, Brazil, from 2015 to 2020. Methods Ecological study with quantitative approach. This study was based on diagnosed cases of pulmonary TB reported in the Notifiable Disease Information System in residents of Paraná; as well as through the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state epidemiological bulletin for the year 2020. The study data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results It was found that, although the number of reported pulmonary TB cases (drug-resistant and general) increased between 2015 and 2019, there was a drop in notification in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The notification of TB cases was also influenced monthly during the year according to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. For cases of drug-resistant pulmonary TB, the provision of diagnostic tests and Directly Observed Treatment decreased by more than half in 2020, especially when compared to 2019. Conclusions In view of these findings, the influence of COVID-19 on the diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant and general pulmonary TB cases is evident, showing that the pandemic has compromised the advances of recent decades in achieving the goals established for its eradication by 2035.