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. 2020 May 5;395(10236):e84. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31052-7

SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus co-infection

Elena Cuadrado-Payán a, Enrique Montagud-Marrahi a, Manuel Torres-Elorza a, Marta Bodro a, Miquel Blasco a, Esteban Poch a, Alex Soriano a, Gaston J Piñeiro a
PMCID: PMC7200126  PMID: 32423586

Since December, 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been an international public health emergency.1, 2, 3 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mimics the influenza virus regarding clinical presentation, transmission mechanism, and seasonal coincidence.3 Thus, co-infection by both viruses is feasible. To the best of our knowledge, only one case of co-infection is known, although the diagnosis was sequential.4 Here, we present four cases of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza co-infection, diagnosed simultaneously.

Patients 1–3 were men aged 53, 78, and 56 years, respectively, and patient 4 was a woman aged 81 years (table ). All four patients had a medical history of hypertension. Patients 1 and 4 had a history of end-stage kidney disease on haemodialysis, and patients 2 and 4 had type 2 diabetes. All four patients attended the emergency department because of non-productive cough, fever, and dyspnoea for 3 days.

Table.

Analytical findings of four patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and influenza virus co-infection

CRP (mg/dL [<1 mg/dL])
LDH (U/L [<234 U/L])
Ferritin (ng/mL [20–400])
D-dimer (ng/mL [<500])
Lymphocyte count (×109 cells per L [0·9–4·5])
Platelets count (×109 cells per L [130–400])
Ultrasensitive troponin I (ng/L [<45·2])
0 h 24 h 72 h 0 h 24 h 72 h 0 h 24 h 72 h 0 h 24 h 72 h 0 h 24 h 72 h 0 h 24 h 72 h 0 h 24 h 72 h
Patient 1 (man, 53 years) 4·3 10 10 NA 191 209 NA 905 1203 NA 700 1300 0·6 0·4 0·3 125 101 86 191 168 300
Patient 2 (man, 78 years) 14·0 15·0 3·6 314 340 283 NA 162 235 NA NA 2100 0·3 0·3 0·5 60 60 81 NA NA NA
Patient 3 (man, 56 years) 2·1 3·18 NA NA NA NA 280 305 NA 200 200 NA 1·2 1·8 NA 199 205 NA 2·8 2·9 NA
Patient 4 (woman, 81 years) 1·3 6·1 9·7 247 231 250 NA NA NA 200 NA NA 0·5 0·5 0·7 99 78 78 1748 648 836

Numbers in square brackets correspond to the normal laboratory values. CRP=C-reactive protein. LDH=Lactate dehydrogenase. NA=not available.

Physical examination revealed tachypnoea and bronchospasm with low oxygen saturation for all patients except for patient 3, whose values were normal. Chest radiography at admission was pathological in two patients: patient 2 had bilateral infiltrates, and patient 4 had a right bilobar pneumonia. The analytical findings are summarised in the table.

Rapid nucleic acid amplification test for influenza A was positive in patients 1 and 2. Patient 3 tested positive for both influenza A and B, and patient 4 tested positive for influenza B. Following the local diagnosis protocol for SARS-CoV-2, simultaneous RT-PCR was done and was positive for all four patients. Patient 3 was discharged after 48 h without treatment or complications. However, rapid respiratory deterioration, orotracheal intubation, and mechanical ventilation were required for patients 1, 2, and 4.

We initiated treatment with lopinavir–ritonavir 400/100 mg twice a day, oral hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twice a day (in haemodialysis patients, 100 mg twice a day), and oral oseltamivir 150 mg twice a day (in haemodialysis patients, 30 mg every 48 h). Subcutaneous interferon β-1b 8MU was added every 48 h in patients 2 and 4. Patient 1 showed clinical improvement and 72 h after admission he remained stable with minimal oxygen requirements. Patients 1 and 4 remained under mechanical ventilation 72 h after admission.

Here we highlight four cases of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza co-infection and show the implications that such a co-infection can have. The clinical and analytical courses in these patients did not differ from those previously reported for COVID-19.5 However, more studies are needed to assess the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 and influenza co-infection in clinical outcomes. We call on the medical community to be aware and take COVID-19 into account as a potential diagnosis even in patients with other viral causes, especially in epidemic areas.

Acknowledgments

We declare no competing interests. EC-P and EM-M contributed equally.

References


Articles from Lancet (London, England) are provided here courtesy of Elsevier

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