Publication

Causes and Consequences of COVID-19-Associated Bacterial Infections

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Last modified
  • 05/20/2025
Type of Material
Authors
    Jennifer M Farrell, Georgia Institute of TechnologyConan Y Zhao, Georgia Institute of TechnologyKeiko Tarquinio, Emory UniversitySam P Brown, Georgia Institute of Technology
Language
  • English
Date
  • 2021-07-20
Publisher
  • Frontiers Media S.A
Publication Version
Copyright Statement
  • © 2021 Farrell, Zhao, Tarquinio and Brown.
License
Final Published Version (URL)
Title of Journal or Parent Work
Volume
  • 12
Grant/Funding Information
  • This work was supported by the Georgia Institute of Technology EVPR COVID-19 Rapid Response Seed Grant Program.
Supplemental Material (URL)
Abstract
  • The COVID-19 literature highlights that bacterial infections are more common in fatal cases than recovered cases. If bacterial infections drive mortality in COVID-19, this has clear implications for patient management. However, it is possible that the enrichment of bacterial infections in COVID-19 fatalities is simply a by-product of late-stage pathology, leading to different advice for patient management. To address this question, we review current knowledge on bacterial infections in COVID-19, assess information from past viral respiratory pandemics, and simulate alternate causal models of interactions between virus, bacteria, and mortality in COVID-19. From these models, we conclude that currently available data are not sufficient to discriminate between these alternate causal pathways, and we highlight what data are required to determine the relative contribution of bacterial infection to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We further summarize the potential long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Keywords
Research Categories
  • Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

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