Ten-year retrospective data analysis reveals frequent respiratory co-infections in hospitalized patients in Augsburg
Martin Krammer,
Reinhard Hoffmann,
Hans-Georg Ruf,
Avidan U. Neumann,
Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann,
Mehmet Goekkaya,
Stefanie Gilles
Affiliations
Martin Krammer
Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology - IBE, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany
Reinhard Hoffmann
Institute for Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology, University Hospital of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
Hans-Georg Ruf
Institute for Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology, University Hospital of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
Avidan U. Neumann
Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann
Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Christine-Kühne-Center for Allergy Research & Education (CK-Care), Davos, Switzerland
Mehmet Goekkaya
Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Corresponding author
Stefanie Gilles
Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
Summary: Clinical data on the types of respiratory pathogens which are most frequently engaged in respiratory co-infections of children and adults are lacking. We analyzed 10 years of data on a total of over 15,000 tests for 16 viral and bacterial pathogens detected in clinical samples at the University Hospital of Augsburg, Germany. Co-infection frequencies and their seasonal patterns were examined using a proportional distribution model. Co-infections were detected in 7.3% of samples, with a higher incidence in children and males. The incidence of interbacterial and interviral co-infections was higher than expected, whereas bacterial-viral co-infections were less frequent. H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were most frequently involved. Most co-infections occurred in winter, but distinct summer peaks were also observed, which occurred even in children, albeit less pronounced than in adults. Seasonality of respiratory (co-)infections decreased with age. Our results suggest to adjust existing testing strategies during high-incidence periods.
