Ongaya Asiko, Cardenas Ariana R, Shiluli Clement, Ramos Lourdes B, Senador Liz C, Flores Juan A, Kanoi Bernard N, Reijneveld Josephine F, Ruvalcaba Angel, Perez Danny, Waiganjo Paul, Lindestam Arlehamn Cecilia S, Henrich Timothy J, Peluso Michael J, Leon Segundo R, Gitaka Jesse, Suliman Sara
Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Escuela Profesional de Tecnología Médica, Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Lima, Perú.
medRxiv. 2025 Apr 29:2025.04.28.25326537. doi: 10.1101/2025.04.28.25326537.
BACKGROUND: Long COVID (LC), also referred to as post-COVID condition, refers to new or worsening symptoms lasting more than three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The prevalence of LC, and the impact of co-infection with prevalent pathogens such as (), in low- and middle-income countries remain unclear. We aimed to address these gaps in two -exposed populations. METHODS: We recruited HIV-uninfected pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients (n=36) and their household contacts (n=63) in Peru, and healthcare workers (n=202) in Kenya. We collected clinical data using study instruments adapted from a United States based study of LC. Participants were sampled within 2 years of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. RESULTS: In Peru, 41.4% participants reported LC symptoms, with no TB-associated significant differences in the prevalence or clinical phenotypes of LC. The most common LC symptoms were neurological (e.g., headache and trouble sleeping) and musculoskeletal (e.g., back pain). Kenyan participants reported acute, but no LC symptoms, and reported a decline in the quality of life during acute infection. In Peru, the post-COVID-19 period was associated with a significant decline in all quality-of-life dimensions (p<0.01), except depression and anxiety (p=0.289). CONCLUSION: This study shows that LC prevalence was high in Peru, where TB status was not linked to LC symptoms. Those with LC reported high levels of musculoskeletal and neurological symptoms. Unexpectedly, healthcare workers in Kenya denied the presence of LC symptoms. These findings highlight the need for long-term follow-up and larger studies in different geographic settings to dissect the impact of TB comorbidity on LC.
medRxiv. 2025-4-29
J Patient Rep Outcomes. 2024-8-26
Lancet Infect Dis. 2025-5
JAMA Netw Open. 2025-1-2
Cell. 2024-10-3
Nat Commun. 2024-8-29
Trends Immunol. 2024-9
Nat Med. 2024-8
BMC Public Health. 2024-7-4
Lancet Infect Dis. 2024-6