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ABSTRACT: Objective
This study aimed to describe the distribution of respiratory pathogens and the occurrence of co-pathogens during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods
We used a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel targeting 23 microorganisms to analyze the oro-pharyngeal samples of patients admitted to our hospital with acute respiratory infection (ARI) between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021. We matched 40 to 50 patients who were SARS-CoV-2 positive and SARS-CoV-2 negative per month for age and sex.Results
A total of 939 patients with multiplex PCR test results were included in the study. Respiratory pathogens where detected in only 8/476 (1.6%) patients with COVID-19 versus 87/463 (18.7%) patients with non-COVID-19 ARI patients. Diversity and rates of pathogens vastly differed from previous years but showed seasonal variance.Conclusion
Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection presenting with ARI during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated paucity of respiratory co-pathogens.
SUBMITTER: Kriger O
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8758566 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

Kriger Or O Gefen-Halevi Shiraz S Leshem Eyal E Smollan Gillian G Belausov Natasha N Egbarye Aseel A Khashab Rawan R Odeh Miran M Saffia Adleen A Barak Yuval Y Hussein Oswa Abu OA Hamias Rachel R Aharon Yael Y Alfandari Jacqueline J Nemet Ital I Kliker Limor L Sherbany Hilda H Mandelboim Michal M Amit Sharon S
International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases 20220114
<h4>Objective</h4>This study aimed to describe the distribution of respiratory pathogens and the occurrence of co-pathogens during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>We used a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel targeting 23 microorganisms to analyze the oro-pharyngeal samples of patients admitted to our hospital with acute respiratory infection (ARI) between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021. We matched 40 to 50 patients who were SARS-CoV-2 positive and SARS- ...[more]