Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel β-coronavirus, is the main pathogenic agent of the rapidly spreading pneumonia called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 infects much more people, especially the elder population, around the world than other coronavirus, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which is challenging current global public health system. Beyond the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, microbial coinfection plays an important role in the occurrence and development of SARS-CoV-2 infection by raising the difficulties of diagnosis, treatment, prognosis of COVID-19, and even increasing the disease symptom and mortality. We summarize the coinfection of virus, bacteria and fungi with SARS-CoV-2, their effects on COVID-19, the reasons of coinfection, and the diagnosis to emphasize the importance of microbial coinfection in COVID-19. KEY POINTS: • Microbial coinfection is a nonnegligible factor in COVID-19. • Microbial coinfection exacerbates the processes of the occurrence, development and prognosis of COVID-19, and the difficulties of clinical diagnosis and treatment. • Different virus, bacteria, and fungi contributed to the coinfection with SARS-CoV-2.
Keywords:
COVID-19; Coinfection; Microorganism; SARS-CoV-2.
MeSH terms
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
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Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
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Bacterial Infections / epidemiology*
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Bacterial Infections / microbiology
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Bacterial Infections / virology
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Betacoronavirus / drug effects
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Betacoronavirus / immunology
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Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
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COVID-19
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Coinfection
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Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy
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Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
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Coronavirus Infections / microbiology
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Coronavirus Infections / virology
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Cytokine Release Syndrome / drug therapy
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Cytokine Release Syndrome / epidemiology*
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Cytokine Release Syndrome / microbiology
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Cytokine Release Syndrome / virology
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Cytokines / biosynthesis
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Disease Progression
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Host-Pathogen Interactions / immunology
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Humans
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Immunity, Innate / drug effects
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Lymphocytes / microbiology
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Lymphocytes / virology
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Lymphopenia / drug therapy
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Lymphopenia / epidemiology*
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Lymphopenia / microbiology
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Lymphopenia / virology
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Mycoses / drug therapy
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Mycoses / epidemiology*
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Mycoses / microbiology
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Mycoses / virology
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Pandemics*
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Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy
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Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
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Pneumonia, Viral / microbiology
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Pneumonia, Viral / virology
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SARS-CoV-2
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Virus Diseases / drug therapy
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Virus Diseases / epidemiology*
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Virus Diseases / microbiology
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Virus Diseases / virology
Substances
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Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Antiviral Agents
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Cytokines