Bacterial Infections associated with COVID-19 and the effect of using many common antibiotics in the treatment these infections

Background and Objective: Undetected coinfections in COVID-19 patients may have serious clinical consequences, including increased hospitalization and mortality. The current study was conducted on 455 patients diagnosed with the new epidemic coronavirus disease who were admitted to quarantine halls in Diwaniyah in Iraq for one month, from February 2021 to March 2021. The aim of the study was to investigate secondary bacterial infections associated with the virus and the effect of using some commonly used antibiotics such as azithromycin, Beta-lactam, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone. Methods: Sputum samples were collected from all patients who tested positive for COVID-19 (Real-Time PCR) seven days after confirming the infection with the virus. The samples were streaked on a group of culture media, then transferred to pure cultures and diagnosed, and their sensitivity to antibiotics was determined using the Vitek -2 compact system technique. Results: According to the findings, the two strains of methicillin-resistant and Staphylococcus aureus sensitive were the most common isolated species with a percentage of 85%, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 78%, in addition to Streptococcus pneumonia 60%, Acinetobacter baumannii 64%, and Legionella pneumophila 60%. Also, many fungi were observed. Most isolated strains were resistant to antibiotics used in the study. Conclusion: The study concluded that these antibiotics have no role in treating the infection. Still, it may contribute to the emergence of new, multi-drug resistant MDR species, resulting in increased mortality rates. Also, excessive use of antibiotics may lead to increased mortality.