Prevalence of primary bacterial co-infections among patients with COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam

Authors

  • Aieman Bashir Department of Medicine, Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital, Tutong, Brunei Darussalam
  • Muhammad Syafiq Abdullah Department of Medicine, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
  • Natalie Raimiza Momin Department of Medicine, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
  • Pui Lin Chong Department of Medicine, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
  • Rosmonaliza Asli Department of Medicine, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
  • Babu Ivan Mani Department of Medicine, Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital, Tutong, Brunei Darussalam
  • Vui Heng Chong Department of Medicine, Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital, Tutong, Brunei Darussalam; Department of Medicine, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2021.12.3.856

Abstract

Objective: Bacterial co-infections in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can lead to less favourable outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of primary bacterial co-infections among patients with COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam.

Methods: Seventy-one of 180 patients admitted to the National Isolation Centre between 9 March 2020 and 4 February 2021 were screened for primary bacterial co-infection (infection occurring <48 h from admission). We compared patients with a primary bacterial co-infection to those without.

Results: Of the 71 screened patients, 8 (11.2%) had a primary bacterial co-infection (sputum 37.5% [6/16], blood 2.8% [1/36], urine 1.7% [1/60]), for a period prevalence rate of 4.4% (respiratory tract infection 3.3% [6/180], bloodstream 0.6% [1/180], urine 0.6% [1/180]) among all COVID-19 patients. Older age, presence of comorbidity, symptoms at admission (fever, dyspnoea, nausea/vomiting), abnormal chest X-ray (CXR) and more severe COVID-19 (P < 0.05) were associated with primary bacterial co-infection. Primary bacterial co-infection was also associated with development of secondary infection and death (all P < 0.05). Only one patient with primary bacterial co-infection died (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus septicaemia and multiorgan failure).

Conclusions: Our study showed that primary bacterial co-infection affected 4.4% of patients with COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam. Older age, presence of comorbidity, symptoms and abnormal CXR at admission and more severe disease were associated with a primary bacterial co-infection. Lower respiratory tract infection was the most common co-infection.

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Published

08-09-2021

How to Cite

1.
Bashir A, Abdullah MS, Momin NR, Chong PL, Asli R, Mani BI, Chong VH. Prevalence of primary bacterial co-infections among patients with COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2021 Sep. 8 [cited 2026 Mar. 25];12(3). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/856

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 3 (2021): July ‒ September

Section

COVID-19: Original Research

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