Bacterial coinfection and antimicrobial use among patients with COVID-19 infection in a referral center in the Philippines: A retrospective cohort study

This study aimed to describe community-acquired bacterial coinfection (CAI) and antimicrobial use among COVID-19 patients.Electronic records were retrospectively reviewed, and clinical data, laboratory data, antibiotic use, and outcomes of patients with and without CAI were compared.Of 1116 patients, 55.1% received antibiotics within 48 hours, but only 66 (5.9%) had documented CAI, mainly respiratory (40/66, 60.6%). Patients with CAI were more likely to present with myalgia (Overall CAI rate was low (5.9%) and antimicrobial use disproportionately high (55.0%), varying little over time. The mortality rate of coinfected patients was high. Certain parameters can be used to better identify those with CAI and those who need blood cultures.