Microbial Infection among SARS-COV-2 Infected Patients in a COVID-19 dedicated tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh: a Cross Sectional Study

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 dedicated hospital in Bangladesh. Design: Cross-sectional study Setting: In a COVID-19 dedicated tertiary care Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh conducted from March to June 2021 Participants: Hospitalized COVID 19 infected patients irrespective of age and sex Primary and secondary outcome measures: Primary outcome measures were proportion of co-infection in COVID-19 patients and characterization of microbes causing co-infection. Secondary outcome measures were to find out if there is any relation between co-infection and age, co-infection and sex, co-infection and comorbidity. Interventions: not applicable Results: Out of 79 patients, 61% were male, mean age was 49.53 years. Co-infection was seen in 7.7% patients and out of which 5.1% of isolates were from urine sample, followed by 2.6% from blood. Bacteria isolated from urine were Enterococci (2.6%), coagulase negative Staphylococcus CONS (1.3%), and Enterobacter spp. (1.3%). Pseudomonas spp. was found in blood sample. Mixed growth was found in NS and TS with predominant species being Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp. At the time the data was collected, 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% patients. None were anti HCV 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 antimicrobial and reducing fatal outcomes of hospitalized patients.