Bacterial coinfections in COVID-19: an underestimated adversary.

Bacterial coinfections in COVID-19: an underestimated adversary. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2020 Jul-Sep;56(3):359-364 Authors: Fattorini L, Creti R, Palma C, Pantosti A, Unit of Antibiotic Resistance and Special Pathogens, Unit of Antibiotic Resistance and Special Pathogens of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome Abstract Current literature shows that secondary bacterial infections, although less frequent than in previous influenza pandemics, affect COVID-19 patients. Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Legionella pneumophila, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus and Klebsiella spp. are the main species isolated. Of note, Mycobacterium tuberculosis-COVID-19 coinfections are also reported. However, bacterial coinfection rates increase in patients admitted in the intensive care units, and those diseases can be due to super-infections by nosocomial antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This highlights the urgency to revise frequent and empiric prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics in COVID-19 patients, with more attention to evidence-based studies and respect for the antimicrobial stewardship principles. PMID: 32959802 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Annali dell Istituto Superiore di Sanita - Category: General Medicine Tags: Ann Ist Super Sanita Source Type: research