Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection Mimicking as Pulmonary Tuberculosis in an Inmate

Hina Akbar; Rehan Kahloon; Sobia Akbar; Arslan Kahloon

doi:10.7759/cureus.8464

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection Mimicking as Pulmonary Tuberculosis in an Inmate

Cureus. 2020 Jun 5;12(6):e8464. doi: 10.7759/cureus.8464.

Authors

Hina Akbar^{1

2}, Rehan Kahloon³, Sobia Akbar⁴, Arslan Kahloon⁵

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA.
² Internal Medicine, Regional One Hospital, Memphis, USA.
³ Cardiology, Erlanger Health System/University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga, USA.
⁴ Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, PAK.
⁵ Gastroenterology, Erlanger Health System/University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga, USA.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging global infectious disease with emerging medical knowledge. Clinical presentation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is very variable amongst patients, and the literature about unusual presentations is growing rapidly. This lack of knowledge leads to diagnostic, therapeutic, and management challenges in such patients. Here, we describe a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a low prevalence area which was initially diagnosed and managed as pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in a high-risk inmate population. These ambiguous presentations can lead to mismanagement of such patients resulting in potentially fatal outcomes and public health crises in confined facilities. This also highlights the significance of a high index of clinical suspicion for SARS-CoV-2 especially in high risk and vulnerable populations.

Keywords: inmate population; prison health; pulmonary tuberculosis; sars-cov-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus -2); vulnerable group.

Publication types

Case Reports
Retracted Publication