Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence among patients submitted to treatment for tuberculosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

Due to tuberculosis (TB) patients pulmonary damages, some authors believe that a SARS-CoV-2 coinfection may result in unfavorable outcomes. A cross-sectional anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence study was conducted at a TB treatment tertiary referral unit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to estimate the proportion (in %) of TB patients exposed to the new coronavirus and their main outcomes. Of 83 patients undergoing TB treatment, 26.5% have already been infected by the new coronavirus. Most patients were asymptomatic (69%) or had mild COVID-19 cases (31%). Only one patient required hospitalization. Among the symptoms and signs presented, the most frequently reported were: fever, headache, and myalgia. People with less education and less purchasing power seemed to had been more exposed to SARS-CoV-2.