Non-canonical Metatranscriptomic analysis of COVID-19 and Dengue reveals an expanded microbial and AMR landscape in COVID-19 mortality patients.

ABSTRACT: AMR is a growing concern in viral infections, where microbiome shifts contribute to resistance gene dissemination. While dengue and COVID-19, caused by ssRNA viruses, are not bacterial-driven, their resistome and microbial communities influence disease progression and AMR burden. This study analyzes the resistome and microbiome in 251 COVID-19 and 112 dengue patients using non-canonical metatranscriptomics. By mapping antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and their transcriptionally active microbes (TAMs) hosts, we uncover greater ARG burden in COVID-19, particularly during mortality, with a diverse set of associated TAMs compared to dengue. MDR genes were prevalent, with beta-lactamase ARGs commonly detected in both infections. COVID-19 exhibited higher carbapenemase resistance genes (NDM

SUBMITTER: Yadav A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12629440 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature