Bacterial and fungal co-infection in individuals with coronavirus: A rapid review to support COVID-19 antimicrobial prescribing
Review identified 18 full texts reporting bacterial/fungal co-infection and found wide use of broad-spectrum antibacterials (72%) despite paucity of evidence for bacterial coinfection (62/806 (8%) with COVID19 reported with bacterial/fungal co-infection during hospital admission)
Source:
Clinical Infectious Diseases
SPS commentary:
Researchers call for prospective evidence to support development of antimicrobial policy and appropriate stewardship interventions specific for the COVID-19 pandemic.
A BMJ feature suggest these findings give weight to researchers’ concerns that increased antibiotic use during the pandemic could increase the long term threat of antimicrobial resistance. It notes the WHO discourages the use of antibiotics for mild cases of covid-19 while recommending antibiotic use for severe covid-19 cases at increased risk of secondary bacterial infections and death. It adds that attempts to tackle antibiotic misuse is not helped by premature hype surrounding possible therapies for covid-19.