COVID-19 and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI): Possible implications for elderly patients

Abstract

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<i>Clostridioides difficile</i> infection in coronavirus disease 2019: an underestimated problem?

“…The major strength of our study is that, to our knowledge, it is the first one to report on a considerably higher rate of CDI in hospitalized patients during the pandemic. Even though the probability of this has always been regarded as high and has been speculated upon [34], the high rate of CDI and COVID-19 coinfection still remains unproven. We acknowledge that the findings of our study are in contrast to other recent publications, one of which reported a lower incidence of CDI [21], while another a similar incidence of CDI [20] among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.…”

The interrelationships between antimicrobial resistance, COVID-19, past, and future pandemics

“…Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) have also been associated with bacterial resistance coinfections [ [64] , [65] , [66] ]. Most deaths in the 1918 influenza pandemic were due to secondary bacterial infections, predominately Streptococcus pneumoniae [ [67] , [68] , [69] ].…”

Should We Be Worried About Clostridioides difficile During the SARS-CoV2 Pandemic?

“…The increased use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 may, inadvertently, have resulted in an under-reporting of C. difficile infection. Actually, Spigaglia ( 2020 ) has published an article expressing her opinion about the COVID-19 and the impact in elderly patients, who will probably become more susceptible to CDI. The author also demonstrates her concern about the low number of bacterial infections cases related to patients with Sars-Cov-2.…”