Prevalence of bacterial co-infections among patients admitted with COVID-19

Abstract

Background: A respiratory disease with variant SARS-CoV-2, which was later names as corona virus was first detected in city of China, Wuhan in the end of the year 2019 that rapidly transmitted across the world. The disease could turn into a serious conditions in some of the patients who requires hospital care with mechanical ventilation support in nearly 5–15% of cases. Approximately 10% of the infected patients required hospital admission due to thrombotic events, developing pneumonia or co-infections. Objective: Objective of the present study was to asceratin the pattern of bacterial co-infection in patients admitted with COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: This was Prospective, observational study conducted at Ziauudin Hospital Karachi during April 2021- June 2022. This study included COVID-19 patients those were admitted with COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. All of the patients were investigated after confirmation of COVID-19 through real-time polymerase chain reaction test. Detailed history including comorbidity, smoking status and presenting symptoms was noted at the time of hospital admission. Blood and urine specimens were taken according to the hospital protocol. Results: Total 99 patients were studied with mean age of 60.7 ± 15 years. Majority of the admitted patients were males (43.5%), non-smokers (85.9%) and had comorbidity (76.8%). More than half of the patients had co-infections (77.8%) with total 116 detected microorganisms. Out of 77.8% patients having infections other than SARS-CoV-2, the most frequent organisms isolated were, Candida albicans (44.2%), Escherichia coli (41.6%), Coagulase negative staphlylococcus (35.1%), Klebsiella species (7.8%), Proteus mirabilis (5.2%), Group D streptococcus (5.2%), Enterobacter (2.6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.6%), Acinetobacter (2.6%), Baccilus (1.3%), Enterococuss species (1.3%), Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia and Staphylococcus Aureus. Conclusion: The present study analyzed that in addition to gram positive and gram-negative bacterial infections, fungal infections were also coexisting in COVID-19 patients in Karachi Pakistan. Patients with increasing age were more prone to have co-infections. Key words: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Antibiotic resistance; Bacterial infections; Respiratory diseases