A recent study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found that individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 were more likely to develop various non-SARS-CoV-2 infections after recovery from an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Even if the initial COVID-19 infection was mild or moderate, patients had a significantly increased risk of diagnosis.
Researchers analyzed data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare databases and compared outcomes among 231,899 people with positive COVID-19 tests and 605,014 test-negative controls. The study found that:
* Non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients were 17% more likely to develop non-COVID respiratory infections.
* Outpatient diagnosis rates for bacterial, fungal, and viral infectious illnesses increased by 46%.
* Hospital admission rates for infectious illnesses rose by 41%.
In contrast, hospitalized COVID-19 patients had higher infection rates in 71% of laboratory tests.
The study’s findings suggest that COVID-19 may alter immune function, making patients more susceptible to future illnesses. This has significant implications for understanding the long-term impact of COVID-19 on immune function and susceptibility to pathogens.
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-19-may-put-patients-risk-other-infections-least-1-year