Respiratory Microbial Co-infection With SARS-CoV-2
Bill W. Massey, Karuna Jayathilake, Herbert Y. Meltzer
Abstract
The prevalence and types of respiratory pathogens in relation to age and domicile were determined in 12,075 US subjects tested for possible SARS-CoV-2 infection. The co-occurrence of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens was related to race, gender, age, nursing home and outpatient status. Infections with other respiratory pathogens able to produce SARS-CoV-2 like symptoms were present in COVID-19 negative subjects and were more common in SARS-CoV-2 positive than negative subjects. Advanced age and nursing home status impacted co-infection rates as they do SARS-CoV-2 infection rates. Addressing co-pathogens is a necessary part of diagnosis and treating respiratory illness in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.