Fatal Co-infections with SARS-CoV-2 and Legionella pneumophila, England.

Both Legionella pneumophila and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause pneumonia. L. pneumophila is acquired from water sources, sometimes in healthcare settings. We report 2 fatal cases of L. pneumophila and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection in England. Clinicians should be aware of possible L. pneumophila infections among SARS-CoV-2 patients.

Utility of the FebriDx point-of-care assay in supporting a triage algorithm for medical admissions with possible COVID-19: an observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a triage algorithm used to identify and isolate patients with suspected COVID-19 among medical patients needing admission to hospital using simple clinical criteria and the FebriDx assay. DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort. SETTING: Large acute National Health Service hospital in London, UK. PARTICIPANTS: All medical admissions from the emergency department between 10 August 2020 and 4 November 2020 with a valid SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result. INTERVENTIONS: Medical admissions were triaged as likely, possible or unlikely COVID-19 based on clinical criteria. Patients triaged as possible COVID-19 underwent FebriDx lateral flow assay on capillary blood, and those positive for myxovirus resistance protein A (a host response protein) were managed as likely COVID-19. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity and predictive values) of the algorithm and the FebriDx assay using SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR from nasopharyngeal swabs as the reference standard. RESULTS: 4.0% (136) of 3443 medical admissions had RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19. Prevalence of COVID-19 was 46% (80/175) in those triaged as likely, 4.1% (50/1225) in possible and 0.3% (6/2033) in unlikely COVID-19. Using a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR reference standard, clinical triage had sensitivity of 96% (95% CI 91% to 98%) and specificity of 61.5% (95% CI 59.8% to 63.1%), while the triage algorithm including FebriDx had sensitivity of 93% (95% CI 87% to 96%) and specificity of 86.4% (95% CI 85.2% to 87.5%). While 2033 patients were deemed not to require isolation using clinical criteria alone, the addition of FebriDx to clinical triage allowed a further 826 patients to be released from isolation, reducing the need for isolation rooms by 9.5 per day, 95% CI 8.9 to 10.2. Ten patients missed by the algorithm had mild or asymptomatic COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: A triage algorithm including the FebriDx assay had good sensitivity and was useful to 'rule-out' COVID-19 among medical admissions to hospital.

An observational cohort study of bacterial co-infection and implications for empirical antibiotic therapy in patients presenting with COVID-19 to hospitals in North West London.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence and nature of bacterial co-infections in COVID-19 patients within 48 hours of hospital admission and assess the appropriateness of empirical antibiotic treatment they received. METHODS: In this retrospective observational cohort study, we included all adult non-pregnant patients who were admitted to two acute hospitals in North West London in March and April 2020 and confirmed to have COVID-19 infection within 2 days of admission. Results of microbiological specimens taken within 48 hours of admission were reviewed and their clinical significance was assessed. Empirical antibiotic treatment of representative patients was reviewed. Patient age, gender, co-morbidities, inflammatory markers at admission, admission to ICU and 30 day all-cause in-hospital mortality were collected and compared between patients with and without bacterial co-infections. RESULTS: Of the 1396 COVID-19 patients included, 37 patients (2.7%) had clinically important bacterial co-infection within 48 hours of admission. The majority of patients (36/37 in those with co-infection and 98/100 in selected patients without co-infection) received empirical antibiotic treatment. There was no significant difference in age, gender, pre-existing illnesses, ICU admission or 30 day all-cause mortality in those with and without bacterial co-infection. However, white cell count, neutrophil count and CRP on admission were significantly higher in patients with bacterial co-infections. CONCLUSIONS: We found that bacterial co-infection was infrequent in hospitalized COVID-19 patients within 48 hours of admission. These results suggest that empirical antimicrobial treatment may not be necessary in all patients presenting with COVID-19 infection, although the decision could be guided by high inflammatory markers.