• Filiz Orak, Selcuk Nazik, Kezban Tulay Yalcinkaya, Murat Aral, Selma Ates, and Adem Doganer.
• Department of Microbiology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkiye.
• J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2023 Aug 1; 33 (8): 852856852-856.

ObjectiveTo identify the microorganisms responsible for superinfections in patients admitted with COVID-19 and evaluate the impact of empirical antibiotic regimen and comorbid disease on superinfections comparing COVID-19 patients with and without secondary infection.Study DesignA descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Microbiology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkiye, from March to July 2020.MethodologyThis study was conducted with patients diagnosed with COVID-19 disease based on radiological or quantitative RT-PCR test results. Culture results, demographic characteristics, clinical variables, and therapeutic regimen were collected from medical records.ResultsSuperinfection developed in 48 (26.96%) of 178 cultures (24 of 101 patients) followed up in the COVID-19 clinics. Infections were determined as 25 (52.08%) bloodstream, 11 (22.9%) urinary tract, 10 (20.8%) respiratory tract and 2 (4.16%) soft tissue infections, respectively. Secondary infectious agents were E.coli in 11 (22.9%), A.baumannii in 8 (16.7%), S.homminis in 7 (14.6%), S.epidermidis in 6 (12.5%), K.pneumoniae in 4 (8.3%), C.albicans in 2 (4.1%), and other bacterial and fungal agents in 10 (20.8%). The median range from admission to the hospital to detecting microorganism growth was the longest with piperacillin/tazobactam with moxifloxacin and azithromycin. Secondary microorganism detection was delayed, mostly due to the empirical use of moxifloxacin, azithromycin, and piperacillin/tazobactam.ConclusionDemographic characteristics, comorbidity and antibiotic use of patients were not directly related to secondary infections. In addition, the empirical use of azithromycin and moxifloxacin with piperacillin/tazobactam appeared to delay the development of superinfection.Key WordsSuperinfection, COVID-19, Comorbidity.

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