Mechanisms of lung damage in tuberculosis: implications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Pulmonary tuberculosis is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for COPD. Severe lung function impairment has been reported in post-TB patients. Despite increasing evidence to support the association between TB and COPD, only a few studies describe the immunological basis of COPD among TB patients following successful treatment completion. In this review, we draw on well-elaborated Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced immune mechanisms in the lungs to highlight shared mechanisms for COPD pathogenesis in the setting of tuberculosis disease. We further examine how such mechanisms could be exploited to guide COPD therapeutics.

Automated summary

Pulmonary tuberculosis is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for COPD, and severe lung function impairment has been reported in post-TB patients. Despite limited studies on the immunological basis of COPD in TB patients, this review highlights shared mechanisms between tuberculosis and COPD pathogenesis and explores the potential for utilizing these mechanisms in COPD therapeutics.