Simultaneous infection with coronavirus and other infections increases the risk of death by 3 times, scientists warn.
According to Medportal.ru, back in September last year, there was evidence that people who simultaneously contracted the flu and COVID-19 had a mortality risk twice as high as compared to patients infected with only coronavirus.
To learn more about the risks of so-called co-infection, researchers at the University of Wisconsin reviewed 118 studies conducted up to February 2021. The results showed that almost one in five (19%) people with confirmed COVID-19 also carry secondary infections in the respiratory tract. Of these, 10% are viruses, 8% are bacteria and 4% are fungi.
Moreover, as it turned out, coinfection and superinfection more than threefold increases the likelihood of death in patients with COVID-19.
The need for mechanical ventilation in patients with coinfection is 45% higher than in patients with superinfection. The presence of other pathogens is also associated with a significant increase in hospitalization with COVID-19.