COVID-19 and Co-Infections: A Review of Clinical Implications and Management Challenges

Bacteria, viruses, and fungi often play a major but ignored role in infections associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). With the progress of the pandemic, studies have found that being infected with multiple viruses simultaneously can have a strong effect on SARS-CoV-2-infected patients’ health care, treatment plans, and recovery. The epidemiology, impact on patients, challenges in identifying coinfections, and management approaches are all examined during this review of COVID-19 patients. Common issues in this field are infections from Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, Aspergillus spp., and Mucorales—most of which affect immunocompromised or critically ill people. Having coinfections increases the chances of acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, blood clots, longer stays in the intensive care units, and a higher risk of death. Despite efforts, similar symptoms in different patients and a lack of proper tests often cause health care professionals to prescribe antibiotics early on, leading to more cases of antimicrobial resistance. Biomarkers such as procalcitonin and multiplex tests for several pathogens play a bigger role in leading antimicrobial stewardship. Since the risk of infections is high and their clinical settings are intricate for tuberculosis- or HIV-coinfected cancer patients, transplant recipients, and the elderly, these individuals need special approaches. The review stresses that using coordinated approaches, advanced rapid diagnostic methods, and strong surveillance can greatly reduce problems from coinfections and improve the readiness for pandemics.