COVID-19 and Tropical Infection: Complexity and Concurrence.

Sookaromdee, Pathum; Wiwanitkit, Viroj

COVID-19 is a newly emerging pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus. After its first report in China in December 2019, the disease already spread and affected more than 200 countries worldwide. It correlates with different phenotypes ranging from an acute febrile illness to severe respiratory problems. Often, patients with COVID-19 suffer from metabolic disorders, and this can result in a more severe clinical course. COVID-19 might also co-occur with other common diseases in different settings. In tropical countries, COVID-19 has already affected thousands of local populations. Tropical diseases such as dengue and tuberculosis can modify the clinical presentation of COVID-19 and result in difficulty in the diagnosis and treatment of the patients. The complexity of concurrence between COVID-19 and tropical diseases is, thus, a matter of concern in tropical medicine. This chapter is devoted to discussing problems surrounding the management of COVID-19 in tropical countries. To exemplify the effects of COVID-19 on tropical countries, the authors would show how COVID-19 has affected Indochina, a large tropical area.