Kim SW, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2020 Nov;36(1):e12. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e12

Gyu Ri Kim, Ph.D., Eun-Young Kim, Ph.D., Si Hyun Kim, Ph.D., Hae Kyung Lee, M.D., Jaehyeon Lee, M.D., Jong Hee Shin, M.D., Young Ree Kim, M.D., Sae Am Song, M.D., Joseph Jeong, M.D., Young Uh, M.D., Yu Kyung Kim, M.D., Dongeun Yong, M.D., Hyun Soo Kim, M.D., Sunjoo Kim, M.D., Young Ah Kim, M.D., Kyeong Seob Shin, M.D., Seok Hoon Jeong, M.D., Namhee Ryoo, M.D., and Jeong Hwan Shin, M.D.. Ann Lab Med 2023;43:45-54. https://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2023.43.1.45

Park DC, et al. Ann Lab Med. 2019 Nov;39(6):537-544. https://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2019.39.6.537

The detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in upper and lower respiratory specimens and coinfection with other respiratory pathogens in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was investigated. Study subjects (N=342) were retrospectively enrolled after being confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive, and their nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), oropharyngeal swab (OPS), and sputum specimens were restored for SARS-CoV-2 retesting and respiratory pathogen detection. The majority of the subjects (96.5, N=330) were confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive using NPS/OPS specimens. Among the COVID-19 patients (N=342), 7.9 (N=27) and 0.9 (N=3) were coinfected with respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, respectively, yielding an 8.8 (N=30) overall respiratory pathogen coinfection rate. Of the respiratory virus coinfection cases (N=27), 92.6 (N=25) were coinfected with a single respiratory virus and 7.4 (N=2) with two viruses (metapneumovirus/adenovirus and rhinovirus/bocavirus). No triple coinfections of other respiratory viruses or bacteria with SARS-CoV-2 were detected. Respiratory viruses coinfected in the patients with COVID-19 were as follows: rhinovirus (N=7, 2.1), respiratory syncytial virus A and B (N=6, 1.8), non-SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses (229E, NL63, and OC43, N=5, 1.5), metapneumovirus (N=4, 1.2), influenza A (N=3, 0.9), adenovirus (N=3, 0.9), and bocavirus (N=1, 0.3). In conclusion, the diagnostic value of utilizing NPS/OPS specimens is excellent, and, as the first report in Korea, coinfection with respiratory pathogens was detected at a rate of 8.8 in patients with COVID-19.

Si Hyun Kim, Ph.D., Gyung-Hye Sung, Ph.D., Eun Hee Park, Ph.D., In Yeong Hwang, Ph.D., Gyu Ri Kim, Ph.D., Sae Am Song, M.D., Hae Kyung Lee, M.D., Young Uh, M.D., Young Ah Kim, M.D., Seok Hoon Jeong, M.D., Jong Hee Shin, M.D., Kyeong Seob Shin, M.D., Jaehyeon Lee, M.D., Joseph Jeong, M.D., Young Ree Kim, M.D., Dongeun Yong, M.D., Miae Lee, M.D., Yu Kyung Kim, M.D., Nam Hee Ryoo, M.D., Seungok Lee, M.D., Jayoung Kim, M.D., Sunjoo Kim, M.D., Hyun Soo Kim, M.D., and Jeong Hwan Shin, M.D.. Ann Lab Med 2022;42:268-73. https://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2022.42.2.268