Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Viral and Bacterial Coinfections in Hospitalized Children and Adolescents Aged under 18 Years with COVID-19 during the Omicron Wave in Russia
Alexander S. Yakovlev,
Vladislav V. Afanasev,
Svetlana I. Alekseenko,
Ilmira K. Belyaletdinova,
Ludmila N. Isankina,
Irina A. Gryaznova,
Anatoly V. Skalny,
Liubov I. Kozlovskaya,
Aydar A. Ishmukhametov,
Galina G. Karganova
Affiliations
Alexander S. Yakovlev
FSASI “Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia
Vladislav V. Afanasev
Otolaryngology Department, I.I. Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University, 191015 St. Petersburg, Russia
Svetlana I. Alekseenko
Otolaryngology Department, I.I. Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University, 191015 St. Petersburg, Russia
Ilmira K. Belyaletdinova
Research Institute for Systems Biology and Medicine (RISBM), 117246 Moscow, Russia
Ludmila N. Isankina
K.A. Rauhfus Children’s City Multidisciplinary Clinical Center for High Medical Technologies, 191036 St. Petersburg, Russia
Irina A. Gryaznova
K.A. Rauhfus Children’s City Multidisciplinary Clinical Center for High Medical Technologies, 191036 St. Petersburg, Russia
Anatoly V. Skalny
Department of Medical Elementology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia
Liubov I. Kozlovskaya
FSASI “Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia
Aydar A. Ishmukhametov
FSASI “Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia
Galina G. Karganova
FSASI “Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered respiratory infection patterns in pediatric populations. The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and relaxation of public health measures have increased the likelihood of coinfections. Previous studies show conflicting results regarding the impact of viral and bacterial coinfections with SARS-CoV-2 on severity of pediatric disease. This study investigated the prevalence and clinical impact of coinfections among children hospitalized with COVID-19 during the Omicron wave. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 574 hospitalized patients aged under 18 years in Russia, from January 2022 to March 2023. Samples from patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens using qRT-PCR, bacterial culture tests and mass spectrometry, and ELISA. Approximately one-third of COVID-19 cases had coinfections, with viral and bacterial coinfections occurring at similar rates. Adenovirus and Staphylococcus aureus were the most common viral and bacterial coinfections, respectively. Viral coinfections were associated with higher fevers and increased bronchitis, while bacterial coinfections correlated with longer duration of illness and higher pneumonia rates. Non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses were linked to more severe lower respiratory tract complications than SARS-CoV-2 monoinfection. These findings suggest that during the Omicron wave, seasonal respiratory viruses may have posed a greater threat to children’s health than SARS-CoV-2.
