Predictors and microbiology of respiratory and bloodstream bacterial infection in patients with COVID-19: author's response

Abstract

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Risk stratification for selecting empiric antibiotherapy during and after COVID-19

“…The species involved in community-acquired superinfections are not different from those recovered from patients not infected with SARS-CoV-2. S. aureus and Haemophilus influenzae are the most frequent species recovered from patients at hospital admission [1,3,26]. Streptococcus pneumoniae seems to be less frequent comparatively with patients infected with the influenza virus [67], whereas Enterobacterales and S. aureus are the most frequent species involved in the case of secondary infection [26,68].…”

“…Patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection are rarely infected at admission [24,25 ]. Numerous studies conducted during the pandemic suggested a prevalence of coinfections around 3-7% [1], reaching 28% in ICUadmitted patients [26]. Moreover, infections occur more frequently in ICU patients, especially in the case of mechanical ventilation [27].…”

“…The recent pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 has highlighted the issue of diagnosing associated bacterial infections in patients admitted with a viral infection. Although coinfections at admission seem to be less frequent than with other viral infections such as influenza [1], we have witnessed paradoxical overconsumption of antibiotics [2,3]. If the diagnosis of bacterial infection remains difficult, the physician can rely on individual and epidemiological data to consider and initiate antibiotic therapy.…”