Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and influenza viruses increases more than four times the likelihood of a patient being intubated and two and a half times the likelihood of death, compared to those with covid-19 alone. The research, according to the scientists, shows the need for more frequent flu screening in hospital for patients with coronavirus, while highlighting the usefulness of full vaccination against both covid-19 and influenza.
The researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Liverpool and Imperial College London, who published the paper in the medical journal The Lancet, analysed data on nearly 7.The Lan Lancet has analysed a combination of almost 7,000 patients with covid-19, 227 of whom had concurrent influenza and had been hospitalised in UK hospitals by December 2021.
"We found that the combination of covid-19 and influenza viruses is particularly dangerous."
"We found that the combination of covid-19 and influenza viruses is particularly dangerous."
"We found that the combination of covid-19 and influenza viruses is particularly dangerous. This is important as many countries are reducing the use of social distancing and coronavirus containment measures. We expect that covid-19 will circulate along with influenza, increasing the likelihood of co-infections. That's why we need to change our strategy for covid-19 patients in hospitals and screen them for flu much more systematically," said Professor of Experimental Medicine Kenneth Bailey of the University of Edinburgh.
"We are seeing an increase in common seasonal respiratory viruses as people return to their normal interactions. We can therefore expect influenza to circulate alongside covid-19 this winter. We were surprised to find that the risk of death more than doubles when people are infected with both influenza and covid-19. It is even more important now for people to be fully vaccinated, and at a booster dose, against both viruses, and not to leave it until it is too late," said Professor of Medicine Callum Semple of the University of Liverpool.
"Infection with more than one virus is not very common, but it is important to be aware that such clusters do occur. The vaccines that protect against covid-19 and influenza are different and people need both. The way these two infections are treated is also different, so it is important to test for other viruses even when a patient who is hospitalized with a respiratory infection has been diagnosed. The new study by the ISARIC research consortium is helping significantly to improve how patients are managed," added Professor Peter Openshaw of Imperial.
Link to scientific publication: https:/www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00383-X/fulltext
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