Virtual symposium by the iPVD Consortium: Microbes series – Co-Infection

Date: November 27, 2024

Co-infection – PH
Dr. Hanan Yusuf Ahmed (University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Moderator: Dr. Peter Nyasulu (Stellenbosch University, South Africa)

Summary:

• Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), caused by group A streptococcal infection, is a leading cause of left heart disease-related pulmonary hypertension (PH), especially affecting young populations in low-income regions. RHD prevalence is high in Africa and Latin America. Management of RHD-related PH includes surgical intervention and supportive care; promising medical therapies (e.g., angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors) are emerging but not yet standard.
• Tuberculosis (TB), both active and post-TB lung disease, significantly contributes to PH, with prevalence up to 67% in chronic respiratory failure and around 9-10% in active TB. Mechanisms of TB-related PH include pulmonary fibrosis, vascular obstruction, thromboembolism, and comorbidities such as HIV and environmental factors. Post-TB lung disease care lacks standardized guidelines.
• Integration of infection management, supportive care, comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation programs, and robust research in infectious pulmonary hypertension is cruicial, especially in resource-limited settings.
• Research on schistosomiasis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension in African settings has improved patient care coordination, diagnostic capacity, and functional assessment strategies.