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. 2021 Jan 18;13(1):130.
doi: 10.3390/v13010130.

Prevalence of Co-Infections with Respiratory Viruses in Individuals Investigated for SARS-CoV-2 in Ontario, Canada

Adriana Peci  1 , Vanessa Tran  1   2 , Jennifer L Guthrie  1 , Ye Li  1   3 , Paul Nelson  1 , Kevin L Schwartz  1   3   4 , AliReza Eshaghi  1 , Sarah A Buchan  1   3 , Jonathan B Gubbay  1   2   5
Affiliations

Prevalence of Co-Infections with Respiratory Viruses in Individuals Investigated for SARS-CoV-2 in Ontario, Canada

Adriana Peci et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

Background: Co-infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with respiratory viruses, bacteria and fungi have been reported to cause a wide range of illness.

Objectives: We assess the prevalence of co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with seasonal respiratory viruses, document the respiratory viruses detected among individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2, and describe characteristics of individuals with respiratory virus co-infection detected.

Methods: Specimens included in this study were submitted as part of routine clinical testing to Public Health Ontario Laboratory from individuals requiring testing for SARS-CoV-2 and/or seasonal respiratory viruses.

Results: Co-infection was detected in a smaller proportion (2.5%) of individuals with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 than those with seasonal respiratory viruses (4.3%); this difference was not significant. Individuals with any respiratory virus co-infection were more likely to be younger than 65 years of age and male than those with single infection. Those with SARS-CoV-2 co-infection manifested mostly mild respiratory symptoms.

Conclusions: Findings of this study may not support routine testing for seasonal respiratory viruses among all individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2, as they were rare during the study period nor associated with severe disease. However, testing for seasonal respiratory viruses should be performed in severely ill individuals, in which detection of other viruses may assist with patient management.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; co-infection; seasonal respiratory viruses.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of reported symptoms among individuals tested by (i) SARS-CoV-2 + MRVP and (ii) MRVP. Counts in this figurerepresent the frequency of each symptom reported. More than one symptom was reported by many individuals; therefore the sum of symptoms frequency do not match with the total number of specimens tested. Undefined respiratory symptoms represent a general term recorded by clinicians on the requisition to indicate the presence of any respiratory symptoms without providing further specifics. Not all individuals had symptom information recorded in laboratory requisition. COPD—coronary obstructive pulmonary disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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