J Infect Co-infections in People With COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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J Infect


. 2020 May 27;S0163-4453(20)30323-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.05.046. Online ahead of print.
Co-infections in People With COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis


Louise Lansbury ¹ , Benjamin Lim ² , Vadsala Baskaran ³ , Wei Shen Lim ⁴



Affiliations

• PMID: 32473235
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.05.046

Abstract

Objectives: In previous influenza pandemics, bacterial co-infections have been a major cause of mortality. We aimed to evaluate the burden of co-infections in patients with COVID-19.
Methods: We systematically searched Embase, Medline, Cochrane Library, LILACS and CINAHL for eligible studies published from 1 January 2020 to 17 April 2020. We included patients of all ages, in all settings. The main outcome was the proportion of patients with a bacterial, fungal or viral co-infection. .
Results: Thirty studies including 3834 patients were included. Overall, 7% of hospitalised COVID-19 patients had a bacterial co-infection (95% CI 3-12%, n=2183, I²=92∙2%). A higher proportion of ICU patients had bacterial co-infections than patients in mixed ward/ICU settings (14%, 95% CI 5-26, I²=74∙7% versus 4%, 95% CI 1-9, I²= 91∙7%). The commonest bacteria were Mycoplasma pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Haemophilus influenzae. The pooled proportion with a viral co-infection was 3% (95% CI 1-6, n=1014, I²=62∙3%), with Respiratory Syncytial Virus and influenza A the commonest. Three studies reported fungal co-infections.
Conclusions: A low proportion of COVID-19 patients have a bacterial co-infection; less than in previous influenza pandemics. These findings do not support the routine use of antibiotics in the management of confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coinfection; Coronavirus; Meta-Analysis.