Co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with Chlamydia or Mycoplasma pneumoniae: a case series and review of the literature

Abstract

Abstract The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has spread all over the world causing a global pandemic and representing a great medical challenge. Nowadays, there is limited knowledge on the rate of co-infections with other respiratory pathogens, with viral co-infection being the most representative agents. Co-infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been described both in adults and pediatrics whereas only 2 cases of Chlamydia pneumoniae have been reported in a large US study so far. In the present report, we describe a series of 7 patients where co-infection with C. pneumoniae (n=5) or M. pneumoniae (n=2) and SARS-CoV-2 was detected in a large teaching hospital in Rome. An extensive review of the updated literature regarding the co-infection between SARS-CoV-2 and these atypical pathogens is also performed.