The significance of monitoring respiratory sample cultures and polymerase chain reaction tests for detecting bacterial pathogens in severely and critically ill patients with COVID-19

• DOI: 10.7196/ajtccm.2024.v30i1.1293
• Publication Date: 2024-04-05T05:04:59Z
• Authors: D Strelkova; V Kuleshov; E Burmistrova; I Sychev; Y Savochkina; D Danilov; S Yatsyshina; E Glushchenko; M Elkina; N Ananicheva; A Yasneva; S Topolyanskaya; S Rachina
• Keywords: Interquartile range; Acinetobacter baumannii; Superinfection; Microbiological culture

Background. Bacterial superinfection is one of the most common and potentially lethal complications in severely critically ill patients with COVID-19. Objectives. To determine colonisation time frame spectrum potential bacterial pathogens respiratory samples from severe critical COVID-19, using routine culture polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Methods. A prospective observational study was conducted on aged ≥18 years confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to or transferred intensive care unit (ICU). Respiratory collected for microbial PCR testing within first 2 days after ICU admission/transfer, between 3 6, 7 stay. Results. total 82 patients, a median (interquartile range) age 74.5 (67.3 - 81.0) Charlson comorbidity index 4 (3 5), enrolled study. Colonisation any pathogen observed 67% (2 6) ICU. On 0 stay, micro-organisms detected 18% Klebsiella pneumoniae (without acquired antibiotic resistance) methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus being frequently identified. Later, Acinetobacter baumannii carbapenem-resistant K. became predominant micro-organisms, identified nearly half patients. In 74% samples, results tests identical. 17%, revealed not by culture. Conclusion. Our confirms that tract occurs early course Superinfections are predominantly caused multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.