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. 2024 Feb 18;58:101233. doi: 10.1016/j.nmni.2024.101233

Table 2.

Factors related to clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 and Herpesviridae co-infection or reactivation.

Author, year Virus Reactivation/co-infection Significantly associated parameters
Outcome measures
Clinical feature (%) Laboratory findings Percentage of steroid intake with duration and dosage Outcome
Meshram et al., 2022 [24] CMV Co-infection after post renal transplantation Acute Kidney
Injury (66), AKI requiring dialysis (11), Oliguria AKI (55), Non oliguric AKI (11)
Low lymphocyte count, increased D-dimer, CRP, LDH, IL-6, Ferritin 14 (78%) patients Recovered: n = 14 (78%),
Dead: n = 4 (22%),
Days of hospitalization: 12.5 (14-11)
Not reported Not reported
Almutairi et al., 2022 [23] Herpes Zoster virus Concurrent or may be reactivation Pain (66.67), Thoracic segment (41.67), Cervical (8.33), Cranial (16.67) Lumbar (25), Sacral region (8.33) involvement, secondary bacterial infection (16.67), severe ulceration (8.33) Leucopenia, lymphopenia, decreased Hemoglobin, raised ESR, CRP, IL-6, AST, ALT 2 (16%) patients Hospitalization 2 (16.67%);
Oxygen support: 1 (8.67%)
Not reported Not reported
Simonnet et al., 2021 [25] EBV, CMV, HHV-6 reactivation Features of single, double and triple viremia Not reported 30 (88%) patients ICU discharge: 28 (82%); Death: 6 (18%) (EBV reactivation- 3(50%); EBV ​+ ​CMV reactivation- 1(17%));
Longer median ICU length of stay: EBV vs No EBV: 15 days vs 8 days
Longer median ICU length of stay: EBV vs No EBV: <0.05 Not reported
Chen et al., 2021 [35] EBV coinfection fever (61.2), dry cough (52.2), fatigue (46.3), myalgia (26.9), anorexia (23.9) Raised CRP, LDH level, AST VCA IgM (+) vs VCA IgM (−): 22 (59.5%) vs 10 (33.3%) All were discharged EBV/SARS CoV-2 co-infection vs SARS C0V-2 infection alone:
C/F: Fever: 0.03;
Inflammatory marker: CRP: 0.02;
Corticosteroid use: 0.03
EBV/SARS CoV-2 co-infection vs SARS C0V-2 infection alone:
C/F: Fever: 3.09 (1.11–8.56)
Lino et al., 2021 [26] HHV-6B coinfection fever, cough, throat pain, sneezing, loss of taste, diarrhea, abdominal pain Not reported yes ICU requirement: 9 (69.3);
Mortality: 4 (30.7)
(Not significant when compared with w/out co-infection group)
W/out co-infection vs W co-infection: Therapeutic immunosuppresion: 0.01 Not reported
Yamamoto et al., 2021 [13] CMV Coinfection/reactivation Possible CMV DNAemia, gastrointestinal symptoms and pneumonia D-dimer level Corticosteroid pulse therapy before ICU admission:
Pt with CMV vs w/out CMV: 5/15 (33.3%) vs 8/44 (18.2%);
Systemic corticosteroid therapy, days, after ICU admission: Pt with CMV vs W/out CMV: 30 (20–41) vs 13 (11–15)
Dexamethasone 6 mg Once daily for 10 days or ICU discharge,
If > 10 days, still not extubated, ≤6 mg dexa once dailly until extubation or death. tapering to 1–3 mg once daily
ICU discharge: 11 (73.4%);
Death: 4 (26.6%);
Characteristics of Pt with CMV and w/out CMV:
  • -

    D-Dimer level: 0.005

  • -

    Duration of systemic corticosteroid therapy, days: <0.001

  • -

    Duration of ICU stay, days: <0.001

  • -

    All cause mortality in the ICU: 0.003

Risk factor analysis for CMV infection during the ICU stay:
  • -

    Duration of systemic corticosteroid therapy> 15 days: 0.002

Association of requirement for anti-CMV treatment and all cause ICU mortality: 0.048
Risk factor analysis for CMV infection during the ICU stay:
  • -

    Duration of systemic corticosteroid therapy> 15 days: 27.1 (3.24–226)

: 0.22 (0.05–0.96) (Inverse)
Giacobbe DR., 2022 [36] HSV-1 Reactivation Not reported Not reported yes 38 (93%) of total patient population Crude 30 day mortality:
With HSV-1 reactivation vs whole study population: 3/12 (25%) vs 13/41 (32%)
Not reported Not reported
Fuest et al., 2022 [11] HSV-1, CMV (No CMV was found in the cohort) reactivation Not reported Not reported yes 39 (64%) with HSV infection, 49 (67%) with no infection ICU mortality: HSV-1 (+) vs hSV-1 (−): 35 (57.4%) vs 33 (45.2%)
∗Not significantly associated
Univariates analysis: HSV vs Non HSV:
  • -

    Hypertension: 0.035

  • -

    LOS ICU: <0.001

  • -

    Duration of mechanical ventilation (hours): <0.001

  • -

    LOS hospital: <0.001

Inflammatory parameters at ICU admission:
  • -

    Baseline procalcitonin: 0.005; Baseline CRP: 0.001; Baseline leukocyte: 0.031

Kaplan Meier Curves of survival: 0.03 (survival reduced in group w/out HSV infection)
Multivariate analysis in HSV positive group as influencing factor for HSV infection:
  • -

    DM

  • -

    ICU LOS: 0.001

  • -

    Baseline leukocyte: 0.021 (All raised in HSV pos group except survival relationship)

Multivariate analysis in HSV positive group:
  • -

    DM: 3.38 (1.17–1.06)

  • -

    ICU LOS: 1.05 (1.02–1.08)

  • -

    Baseline leukocyte: 1.11 (1.02–1.22)

Xie et al., 2021 [12] EBV reactivation Tachypnea: 15 (88.2%) Respiratory failure: 13 (76.5) ARDS: 15 (88.2%) Hyponatraemia: Lymphocyte count, Albumin, D-dimer, Calcium, CRP Yes Glucocorticoids 1–2 mg/kg for 5–7 days Mortality: EBV (+)5/17 (29.4%) EBV vs Non-EBV:
C/F: Tachypnea: <0.001; Respiratory failure: 0.001; ARDS: <0.001;
Laboratory Ix: Hyponatraemia: <0.001 Lymphocyte count: 0.0002 (Inverse); Albumin: 0.03 (Inverse); D-dimer: <0.0001; Calcium: <0.001; CRP: 0.004
Prognosis:
28-day mortality: 0.0046: 14-day mortality: 0.0046
Multivariate analysis:
Better prognosis in non-EBV group: <0.001
Multivariate analysis:
Better prognosis in non-EBV group: HR: 0.56 (0.116–2.689)
Abadias-Grando et al., 2021 [27] HHV-6 reactivation Cutaneous manifestation: maculopapular, ptyriaisis like, perniosis like, vesicular, multiform, seborrhoeic dematitis, urticarial Not reported Not reported Not reported Not reported Not reported
Niitsu et al., 2021 [37] CMV reactivation CMV antigenaemia;
CMV pneumonia
CMV (+) vs CMV (−):
Lymphocyte on ICU admission: 393/μl vs 525/ul
yes 6 (100%) in CMV group, 20 (100%) in non CMV group 2 (33.33%) were dead CMV vs Non-CMV group:
Duration of mechanical ventilation, days: 0.010
Bacterial infection: 0.018
Fungal infection: 0.013
Death: 0.046
Not reported
Navaro Bielsa, 2021 [28] HHV-6 Both coinfection and reactivation Cutaneous manifestation macolopapular eruptions: 24 (38.1); erythema with vesicles or pustules (pseudo-chilblain): 13 (20.6); Vesicular eruption: 8 (12.7); urticarial leisons: 6(9.5); Livedo or necrosis: 5(7.9) Not reported Yes
Topical and oral corticosteroid
all were recovered Not reported Not reported
Balc'h et al., 2020 [29] HSV, CMV reactivation Not reported Not reported yes 16 (80%) in no reactivation group and 16 (89%) in reactivation group 2 (11%) were dead but not statistically relevant when compared with non reactivation group No-reactivation vs Reactivation:
Duration of MV: 0.0001;
Ventilator-free days at D28: 0.0008 (−);
PaO2: FiO2:(D7): 0.04 (Inverse); PaO2: FiO2:(D14): 0.01 (−);
ICU length of stay: 0.0001
Not reported
Franchesch et al., 2021 [34] HSV-1 reactivation 2 hepatitis (9.5%), 5 herpes labialis (23.8%), 4 pneumonia (19%), 3 gingivostomatitis (14.3%) and 1 encephalitis (4.8%) Higher level of LDH yes 16 (76%) in HSV 1 positive, 24 (49%) in negative
Methylpredinosolone IV with an initial bolus of 0.5 mg/kg followed by 0.5 mg/kg 4 times daily for 7 days, 0.5 mg/kg 3times daily day 8–10, 0.5 mg/kg 2 times daily day 11–12, 0.5 mg/kg once daily for day 13 and 14. For failed Tocilizumab rx, bouls dose 1g IV for 3 consecutive days
Invasive mechanical ventilation: 12 (57.1%) Death:
6 (28.6%)
HSV 1 positive (re-activation) vs negative in COVID pt:
C/F: Systolic BP: 0.027
Lab: LDH: 0.022
Intervention: Steroid use: 0.036
Outcome: IMV: 0.005
After logistic regression:
Steroids use:
Any dose vs No: 0.016
Low dose vs No: 0.027
High dose vs No: 0.043
HSV 1 positive (re-activation) vs negative in COVID pt:
After logistic regression:
Steroids use:
Any dose vs No: 5.13 (1.36, 19.32)
Low dose vs No: 4.80 (1.20, 19.26)
High dose vs No: 6.16 (1.06, 35.74)
Reizine et al., 2021 [30] HSV-1, CMV reactivation Not reported Not reported yes 85 (95%) in non reactivation, 29 (87%) in reactivation 1 was dead No viral reactivation vs Viral reactivation:
C/F: Obesity: <0.001; HTN: 0.042;
Lab: Duration of lymphopenia (days): 0.001;
Clinical course: Duration of (+) resp. SARS CoV-2 RT PCR (days): 0.013;
Outcome: Ventilator associated pneumonia: 0.03; Herpesviridae res reactivation: <0.001; Duration of mechanical ventilation (days): 0.018; Length of ICUU stay (days): 0.005
Not reported
Saade et al., 2021 [32] HSV, EBV, CMV reactivation esophagitis, cutaneous-mucous manifestations Higher leukocyte count yes 6 (16%) in non reactivation, 27 (43%) in reactivation group 23 were dead but statistically proved that it was not realted to viral reactivation. No Reactivation vs reactivation:
Characteristics/Immunosuppressive cond:
Valaciclovir prophylaxis: 0.05; Hematopoietic cell transplantation: 0.05;
Lab: Leukocytosis on ICU admission: 0.02;
Therapeutics: dexamethason: 0.01;
Infectious event: 0.04; Bacterial event: 0.02; Pneumonia: 0.05; ICU stay: 0.03
After adjustment using Fine and Gray model:
Preexisting hematological malignancy: 0.02; Solid organ transplantation: 0.02
After adjustment using Fine and Gray model:
Preexisting hematological malignancy: 0.31 (0.11–0.85); Solid organ transplantation: 2.09 (1.13–3.87)
Meyer et al., 2021 [38] HSV-1 reactivation fever Higher level of CRP and LDH yes 86 (56%) in non reactivation, 22 (55%) in reactivation Death in ICU: 21 (52.5);
Death at day 60: 23 (57.5);
HAP/VAP: 33(82.5);
ICU-BSI: 18 (45); IMV/ECMO: 35 (87.5)
Without reactivation vs Reactivation:
On ICU admission:
C/F: Max body temp: 0.029;
Lab: CRP: 0.001; LDH: 0.019;
Intervention: MV: 0.009; Initial use of corticosteroid: 0.016;
Outcomes:
Length of stay in ICU: <0.001; Death in ICU: 0.02; Death at day 60: 0.014; HAP/VAP: <0.001; ICU-BSI: 0.001; IMV/ECMO: <0.001
After adjustment, in multivariable Cox models, increased risk of mortality: 0.01; After adjustment for mortality factors and using acyclovir as a time-dependent covariate, in Cox model, increased risk of mortality at day 60: <0.001;
Multivariable specific cause models showed an increased risk of HAP/VAP: 0.037;
In blood samples, multivariable cause-specific models, association between HSV-1 reactivation and HAP/VAP: 0.027
After adjustment, in multivariable Cox models, increased risk of mortality in all sample: HR 2.05 (1.16–3.62);
After adjustment, in multivariable Cox models, increased risk of mortality in blood sample: HR 2.24 (1.23–4.08)
After adjustment for mortality factors and using acyclovir as a time-dependent covariate, in Cox model increased risk of mortality at day 60: HR 4.37, 95% CI 2.12–9.02;
0.059).
Multivariable specific cause models showed an increased risk of HAP/VAP: csHR 2.38, 95% CI 1.06–5.39;
In blood samples, multivariable cause-specific models, association between HSV-1 reactivation and HAP/VAP: HR 2.62; 95% CI 1.12–6.12
Gold et al., 2021 [31] EBV reactivation Fatigue, insomnia, headache, myalgia, confusion, tinitus, hearing loss, skin rashes, covid toes Not reported Not reported Not reported Long term COVID vs Long term control group; Difference in the fraction of EBV reactivation: <0.001;
Short-term COVID vs short-term control group: 0.05;
Relationship of EBV EA-D IgG with the number of reported long COVID symptoms: p < 0.001
Relationship of EBV EA-D IgG with the number of reported long COVID symptoms: r = 0.34
Meng et al., 2022 [33] EBV reactivation Not reported Lower Hb level, Higher D-dimer level and bilirubin level. Not reported Patients with EBV reactivation have statistically nonsignificant higher mortality rate: 12 [22%] vs. 18 [11%], EBV serology, Non-survivor vs Survivor:
EA-IgG: 0.05;
Lab: with reactivation vs w/out reactivation:
Hb: 0.007; D-dimer: 0.03; total bilirubin: 0.006;
After intervention with Ganciclovir:
Lab: Hb level: <0.001; prealbumin level: 0.02;
Outcome: Effects on 28 days survival rate: 0.01 (−); Length of stay: 0.006
EBV serology, Non-survivor vs Survivor:
EA-IgG: −0.00005 (−3.10, 0.00);
After intervention with Ganciclovir:
Outcome: Effects on 28 days survival rate: 0.98 (0.95, 1.00)