FIGURE 2.

Serum bacterial DNA levels correlate with severity. Bacterial DNA levels were quantified in serum samples from healthy controls (n = 29), and the first serum sample obtained following hospitalization for patients with mild COVID‐19 (n = 11), moderate COVID‐19 (n = 28), patients with severe COVID‐19 who survived (n = 90), and patients with severe COVID‐19 that died (n = 42). The dotted line indicates the cut‐off value for the highest bacterial DNA level in serum from healthy volunteers. Bacterial DNA levels were higher than the highest level observed in healthy volunteers for 0%, 21%, 21%, or 39% of patients with mild COVID‐19, moderate COVID‐19, severe COVID‐19 that recovered, or severe COVID‐19 with a fatal outcome, respectively. Statistical significance was determined using the Kruskal‐Wallis test and Dunn's multiple comparison test