Coinfection in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients: Where are influenza virus and rhinovirus/enterovirus?

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been declared a global pandemic. Our goal was to determine whether coinfections with other respiratory pathogens occur in a significant subset of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients in the greater New York City metropolitan area. During the period from March 16, 2020 through April 20, 2020, our laboratory detected SARS-CoV-2 infection in 8,990 patients of a total 18,704 tested by real-time reverse-transcription-polymerase-chain-reaction amplification (SARS-CoV-2 Test, cobas® 6800 system, RocheDiagnostics). Amongst the patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 1,204 were also tested for other respiratory viruses, and concurrent infection was found in only 36 (< 3%). In comparison, coinfection with at least one non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viral pathogen was found in 13.1% of patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, in patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, the most common respiratory virus co-infections were those commonly seen circulating in the community including rhinovirus/enterovirus, influenza viruses and coronavirus NL63, whereas non-SARS-CoV-2 coronaviridae were the most common concurrent respiratory viruses found in SARS-CoV-2 -positive patients. Additional studies are needed to establish whether simultaneous viral infection in SARS-CoV-2 patients could potential drive viral interference or influence disease outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.