Identification of Bacterial Coinfection in SARS-CoV-2 Infected patients, by High Resolution Melting

This study aimed to detect bacterial pathogens in suspected SARS-CoV-2 cases using qPCR-HRM. We analyzed 166 positive and 188 negative upper airway samples collected from patients with Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) via qPCR-HRM, confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Results identified Streptococcus pneumoniae (31.3%), Haemophilus influenzae (21.7%), and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (7.6%) as prevalent pathogens, with simultaneous detection of two bacterial pathogens occurring in 14.4% of cases. The qPCR-HRM method exhibited high sensitivity, enabling identification based on target gene melting temperatures. Notably, 55.2% of critically ill patients harbored at least one bacterial pathogen, suggesting its role in exacerbating Covid-19 severity. Implementing qPCR-HRM in reference labs and public hospitals for rapid and cost-effective pathogen identification, could broad proactive measures to contain outbreaks and mitigate the burden of ARI on healthcare systems. Understanding the significance of bacterial co-infections in exacerbating Covid-19 severity informs clinical management strategies, emphasizing comprehensive diagnostic approaches and tailored treatment regimens, thus contributing to broader efforts to combat infectious diseases.