The Microbial Profile and Resistance Pattern of Pathogens Isolated From Long COVID Pneumonia Patients and Their Correlation to Clinical Outcome: Our Experience From a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with persistent symptoms for at least four weeks in spite of being reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) negative for COVID infection are defined as long COVID (wherein pulmonary involvement is seen in a significant proportion of cases). The history of prolonged use of corticosteroids, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and associated comorbid conditions in these patients increases the possibility of infection with multidrug-resistant microbial strains. It may lead to a grave prognosis, hence appropriate microbiological evaluation and management at the earliest can have a better outcome. Methods A retrospective observational study was carried out among long COVID patients admitted to the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, a tertiary care hospital. Eighty-four patients admitted to the ICU or non-ICU ward in the hospital from April to October 2021 were included in the study. Antibiotics, as prescribed by our hospital antibiotic policy, were administered wherever required and were subsequently changed according to culture and sensitivity reports of the samples (sputum, endotracheal aspirates, or blood). An analysis of the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of the pathogens isolated was performed. The outcome after optimum medical management was assessed for survivors, discharge, or death. Results Out of the total of 84 patients, 41 samples (sputum, endotracheal aspirates or blood) were collected and sent for culture, of which 32 (78.1%) were found to be culture positive for pathogens. Among the pathogens isolated, there were 22 (69%) drug-resistant and 10 (31%) sensitive organisms. Among the 22 resistant pathogen isolates, 18 were Gram-negative species, the most common species being and two were Gram-positive species, one each from  and and three were . Of five deaths reported among 22 cases with resistant isolates, extensively drug-resistant (XDR), multi-drug resistance (MDR), and pan drug resistance (PDR) strains were detected in three, one, and one cases, respectively, and were harboured by  and . Of the total eight deaths, there were two deaths among the 43 patients who received an empiric antibiotic in the wards, and six deaths were reported in the ICU. Despite raised biomarkers of inflammation, comorbid illnesses, renal impairment, and immunocompromised states, there was 91% survival and discharge, which was statistically significant (p-value = 0.00). Conclusion To conclude,  were the most commonly isolated organisms among long COVID pneumonia cases, of which some were MDR, PDR and XDR strains. Early microbiological evaluation with targeted, proper antimicrobial usage along with optimized medical management and, wherever needed, critical care support in the ICU may lead to a better prognostic outcome in those groups of patients.