Herpesviridae and atypical bacteria co-detections in lower respiratory tract samples of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients admitted to an intensive care unit

Grubelnik, Gašper (author), Korva, Miša (author), Kogoj, Rok (author), Polanc, Tina (author), Mavrič, Matej (author), Jevšnik Virant, Monika (author), Uršič, Tina (author), Keše, Darja (author), Seme, Katja (author), Petrovec, Miroslav (author), Jereb, Matjaž (author), Avšič-Županc, Tatjana (author)

Shortly after the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), cases of viral, bacterial, and fungal coinfections in hospitalized patients became evident. This retrospective study investigates the prevalence of multiple pathogen co-detections in 1472 lower respiratory tract (LRT) samples from 229 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients treated in the largest intensive care unit (ICU) in Slovenia. In addition to SARS-CoV-2, (rt)RT-PCR tests were used to detect cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), varicella zoster virus (VZV), and atypical bacteria: Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila/spp. At least one co-detection was observed in 89.1% of patients. EBV, HSV-1, and CMV were the most common, with 74.7%, 58.1%, and 38.0% of positive patients, respectively. The median detection time of EBV, HSV-1, and CMV after initial SARS-CoV-2 confirmation was 11 to 20 days. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and tracheal aspirate (TA) samples showed equivalent performance for the detection of EBV, CMV, and HSV-1 in patients with both available samples. Our results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection could be a risk factor for latent herpesvirus reactivation, especially HSV-1, EBV, and CMV. However, additional studies are needed to elucidate the clinical importance of these findings.

• Language: English
• Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, co-detections, coinfections, lower respiratory tract, ICU, herpesviruses, atypical bacteria
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 14 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 12, iss. 4, art. 714
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-183541
• UDC: 578
• ISSN on article: 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040714
• COBISS.SI-ID: 192370691
• Publication date in RUL: 18.06.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Microorganisms
• Shortened title: Microorganisms
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-2607
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523277081

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, soodkrivanje, sočasne okužbe, spodnji dihalni trakt, herpesvirusi, atipične bakterije