Viral co-pathogens in COVID-19 acute respiratory syndrome – what did we learn from the first year of pandemic?. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kriger, Or; Gefen-Halevi, Shiraz; Leshem, Eyal; Smollan, Gillian; Belausov, Natasha; Egbarye, Aseel; Khashab, Rawan; Odeh, Miran; Saffia, Adleen; Barak, Yuval; Hussein, Oswa Abu; Hamias, Rachel; Aharon, Yael; Alfandari, Jacqueline; Nemet, Ital; Kliker, Limor; Sherbany, Hilda; Mandelboim, Michal; Amit, Sharon
• Is Part Of: International journal of infectious diseases. Volume 116(2022)
• Page Start: 226
• Page End: 229
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- SARS-CoV-2 -- co-infections; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.01.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1201-9712

Abstract

Highlights: During the COVID-19 pandemic, respiratory pathogen distribution has changed dramatically. Occurrence of co-pathogen during COVID-19 infection is varied. We describe the occurrence of respiratory pathogens during the first year of pandemic. Patients with COVID-19 ARI had very low occurrence of co-pathogen infections. Abstract : Objective: : This study aimed to describe the distribution of respiratory pathogens and the occurrence of co-pathogens during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel targeting 23 microorganisms to analyze the oro-pharyngeal samples of patients admitted to our hospital with acute respiratory infection (ARI) between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021. We matched 40 to 50 patients who were SARS-CoV-2 positive and SARS-CoV-2 negative per month for age and sex. Results: A total of 939 patients with multiplex PCR test results were included in the study. Respiratory pathogens where detected in only 8/476 (1.6%) patients with COVID-19 versus 87/463 (18.7%) patients with non–COVID-19 ARI patients. Diversity and rates of pathogens vastly differed from previous years but showed seasonal variance. Conclusion: Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection presenting with ARI during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated paucity of respiratory co-pathogens.