Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Ghana
Colonization of SARS-CoV-2 with specific bacteria may either protect or increase the risk of disease severity. This study aimed to identify microbial organisms in the lower respiratory tract and their association with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between May 2020...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | COVID |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/3/4/33 |
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| author | Oliver Nangkuu Deberu Godfred Acheampong Bernard Nkrumah Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng Stephen Opoku Afriyie Francis Opoku Agyapong Dorcas Ohui Owusu Mohamed Mutocheluh Abass Abdul-Karim Philip El-Duah Augustina Angelina Sylverken Michael Owusu |
| author_facet | Oliver Nangkuu Deberu Godfred Acheampong Bernard Nkrumah Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng Stephen Opoku Afriyie Francis Opoku Agyapong Dorcas Ohui Owusu Mohamed Mutocheluh Abass Abdul-Karim Philip El-Duah Augustina Angelina Sylverken Michael Owusu |
| author_sort | Oliver Nangkuu Deberu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Colonization of SARS-CoV-2 with specific bacteria may either protect or increase the risk of disease severity. This study aimed to identify microbial organisms in the lower respiratory tract and their association with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between May 2020 and August 2021 at the Tamale Public Health Laboratory in the Northern part of Ghana. RT-PCRs for SARS-CoV-2 and bacteriological cultures were performed on sputum samples collected from suspected COVID-19 patients. Biochemical identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed on the bacterial isolates. A total of 380 participants were recruited into the study. Most participants were within the 21–30 years age group (29.6%). RT-PCR testing detected SARS-CoV-2 in 118 (31.1%) patients. Headache was found to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 (<i>p</i> = 0.033). Sputum cultures yielded 187 (49.2%) positive bacteria growths. <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. (20.5%), <i>Moraxella catarrhalis</i> (7.9%), and <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. (6.3%) were the most commonly isolated bacteria. <i>M. catarrhalis</i>, <i>Serratia</i> spp., and <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i> were significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most of the isolates were resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporins. This study has demonstrated the association between specific bacteria and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinicians should investigate possible bacterial co-infections in the management of COVID-19 cases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:06:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f01a6a9580f4505bdedb085571b50a5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-8112 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:06:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | COVID |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f01a6a9580f4505bdedb085571b50a52023-11-17T18:49:58ZengMDPI AGCOVID2673-81122023-03-013444045110.3390/covid3040033Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern GhanaOliver Nangkuu Deberu0Godfred Acheampong1Bernard Nkrumah2Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng3Stephen Opoku Afriyie4Francis Opoku Agyapong5Dorcas Ohui Owusu6Mohamed Mutocheluh7Abass Abdul-Karim8Philip El-Duah9Augustina Angelina Sylverken10Michael Owusu11Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi 00233, GhanaCentre for Health System Strengthening, AK-193-4653, P.O. Box 11777, Kumasi 00233, GhanaAfrican Field Epidemiology Network, JQQQ+52M, Aggrey Street, Accra GA184, GhanaDepartment of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi 00233, GhanaCentre for Health System Strengthening, AK-193-4653, P.O. Box 11777, Kumasi 00233, GhanaDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi 00233, GhanaDepartment of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi 00233, GhanaDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi 00233, GhanaTamale Public Health Reference Laboratory, Tamale 00233, GhanaInstitute of Virology, Charite, University Medicine of Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi 00233, GhanaCentre for Health System Strengthening, AK-193-4653, P.O. Box 11777, Kumasi 00233, GhanaColonization of SARS-CoV-2 with specific bacteria may either protect or increase the risk of disease severity. This study aimed to identify microbial organisms in the lower respiratory tract and their association with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between May 2020 and August 2021 at the Tamale Public Health Laboratory in the Northern part of Ghana. RT-PCRs for SARS-CoV-2 and bacteriological cultures were performed on sputum samples collected from suspected COVID-19 patients. Biochemical identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed on the bacterial isolates. A total of 380 participants were recruited into the study. Most participants were within the 21–30 years age group (29.6%). RT-PCR testing detected SARS-CoV-2 in 118 (31.1%) patients. Headache was found to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 (<i>p</i> = 0.033). Sputum cultures yielded 187 (49.2%) positive bacteria growths. <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. (20.5%), <i>Moraxella catarrhalis</i> (7.9%), and <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. (6.3%) were the most commonly isolated bacteria. <i>M. catarrhalis</i>, <i>Serratia</i> spp., and <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i> were significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most of the isolates were resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporins. This study has demonstrated the association between specific bacteria and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinicians should investigate possible bacterial co-infections in the management of COVID-19 cases.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/3/4/33SARS-CoV-2COVID-19bacterialower respiratory tractNorthern Ghana |
| spellingShingle | Oliver Nangkuu Deberu Godfred Acheampong Bernard Nkrumah Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng Stephen Opoku Afriyie Francis Opoku Agyapong Dorcas Ohui Owusu Mohamed Mutocheluh Abass Abdul-Karim Philip El-Duah Augustina Angelina Sylverken Michael Owusu Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Ghana COVID SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 bacteria lower respiratory tract Northern Ghana |
| title | Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Ghana |
| title_full | Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Ghana |
| title_short | Microbial Organisms in the Lower Respiratory Tract Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Ghana |
| title_sort | microbial organisms in the lower respiratory tract associated with sars cov 2 infection a cross sectional study in northern ghana |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 bacteria lower respiratory tract Northern Ghana |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/3/4/33 |
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