Microbial infection among SARS-COV-2-infected patients in a COVID-19-dedicated tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study examines co-infections in COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh and finds that microbial infections are present in a small percentage of cases.

Contribution

The study provides insights into co-infection patterns among hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients in a specific Bangladeshi hospital setting.

Findings

Co-infection was observed in 7.7% of patients, with urine samples showing the highest rate of microbial isolates.

Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus spp. were the predominant species found in nasopharyngeal and throat swabs.

Antimicrobial prescriptions were common, with 55.7% of patients receiving antimicrobials.

Abstract

Objectives. This study aimed to determine patterns of respiratory, blood-borne and uropathogenic microbial pathogens among SARS-CoV-2-infected patients in a COVID-19-(coronavirus disease 2019) dedicated tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Design.This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting. In a COVID-19-dedicated tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, conducted from March to June 2021.

Participants. Hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 infection regardless of age or sex.

Primary and secondary outcome measures. The percentage of co-infected COVID-19 patients and the characterization of the micro-organisms responsible for co-infection served as the primary outcome measures. Finding any associations between co-infection and age, co-infection and sex and co-infection and comorbidity was the secondary outcome variable.

Interventions. Not applicable.

Results.Out of 79 patients, 61 % were male, and the mean age was 49.53 years. Co-infection was seen in 7.7 % of patients, out of which 5.1 % of isolates were from urine samples, followed by 2.6 % from blood. Bacteria isolated from urine were Enterococcus (2.6 %), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CONS) (1.3 %) and Enterobacter spp. (1.3 %). Pseudomonas spp. was the only organism isolated from blood sample. Mixed growth was found in nasopharyngeal and throat swabs, with the predominant species being Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus spp. At the time of data collection, 55.7 % of patients had been given antimicrobials, and 30.4 % of patients had been given a single antimicrobial. HBsAg was positive in 1.3 % of patients and none were anti-hepatitis C or dengue NS1Ag positive.

Conclusion. Microbial infection has been seen to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections and is of great value in prescribing antimicrobials and reducing fatal outcomes of hospitalized patients.