Parasitic worm infection in TB patients makes lung disease more severe, finds study

Parasitic worms in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis can lead to serious lung disease, found a study which was conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) ICER in collaboration with M Vishwanathan Diabetic Research Centre (MVDRC) in Chennai on the impact of worm infections on pulmonary tuberculosis severity and treatment.
“This study investigates the impact of Strongyloides stercoralis, a type of parasitic worm, on patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), a serious lung disease. Both of these health problems are especially common in lower-income countries where they often occur together, posing a big challenge for public health,” stated the study.
The research focused on a group of 409 people with PTB to see how those also infected with the worm fared in terms of their illness severity, the number of tuberculosis bacteria in their body, and their recovery after treatment.
The study was done on patients within the age group of 30-65 years and the findings raised alarm about lung damage and relapse of TB.
“The findings were quite concerning. People who had both TB and this parasitic infection were found to have more bacteria in their bodies, more severe lung damage, and were more likely to have treatment failures or relapses compared to those with TB alone. The study also discovered changes in certain immune system markers in those with the dual infection, indicating a heightened inflammatory response, which could explain the worse outcomes,” the study says.
In simple terms, the study shows that having a parasitic worm infection on top of tuberculosis makes lung disease more severe and harder to treat successfully. This underscores the need for health strategies that address both TB and parasitic infections together, to improve the chances of recovery for patients affected by both conditions.
“Parasitic worms are prevalent in many regions where TB is endemic, leading to complex interactions between the human immune system and the progression of TB disease. There is now overwhelming evidence that these worms represent a significant risk factor contributing to heightened disease severity and poor outcomes associated with TB. Addressing this co-infection by administering a single-dose, single-drug treatment regimen could potentially yield substantial benefits for TB patients,” suggests Dr S Subash Babu, Scientific Director of NIH-ICER