Head Neck Tuberculosis Amidst COVID Pandemic: An Assessment of Change in Disease Dynamics

COVID 19 pandemic has had its effect on the entire world population. The purpose of the study was to perform Epidemiological and Head Neck site wise assessment of Tuberculosis (TB) presentation and investigation during and immediately after the COVID 19 pandemic. The changing incidence and atypical presentations were documented. Institution based retrospective study was conducted and the data of Head Neck TB (HN- TB) was extracted from the patient registers of National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) of the same institute during the period of March 1st 2020 to 31st December 2022. Statistical analysis was done to satisfy the investigative purpose. In the study period 2118 patients were registered for TB. 279 patients were diagnosed with HN-TB as the primary site of involvement. Cervical Lymph node TB was the predominantly involved site followed by Head Neck Skin, Ear, Larynx, Ophthalmological structures, Facial bones, Oral cavity and Oropharynx, Neck sinus. The Incidence of TB as a whole and HN- TB saw uneven rise and fall with respect to its incidence during and after the pandemic. There were definite variations in the incidence of site specific involvement of HN- TB when compared to world literature. Changing disease dynamics comes as a challenge before NTEP amidst the prevailing pandemic. No particular investigation is full proof to detect tuberculosis and so, attempts should be made to maximise the number of detection options. Lessons should be learnt from the present situation to keep us prepared for the future.