A Large-Scale Retrospective Study on the Prevalence of COVID-۱۹ and Urinary Bacterial Coinfections Among Hospitalized Patients in Salmas, Northwest Iran

Background: The COVID-۱۹ pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus ۲, started with an outbreak of COVID-۱۹ in Wuhan, China, in December ۲۰۱۹, resulting in millions of deaths in the following years. Bacterial coinfections and superinfections are concerns for patients with COVID-۱۹. This study aimed to determine the mortality rate of COVID-۱۹, its associated risk factors, and the bacterial isolates from urine samples of hospitalized patients suspected of having COVID-۱۹ in Salmas, northwest Iran. Methods: The data from ۳,۷۳۳ patients suspected of COVID-۱۹ who were referred to Khatam Al-Anbiya hospital in Salmas, West Azerbaijan, Northwest Iran, from December ۲۰۱۹ to February ۲۰۲۴, were collected and analyzed in a retrospective study. Results: Of the ۳,۷۳۳ patients, ۲,۱۷۲ (۵۸.۲%) tested positive for COVID-۱۹, while ۱,۵۶۱ (۴۱.۸%) tested negative. Among those who tested positive, ۱,۲۱۰ were females (۵۹.۶%), and ۹۶۲ were males (۵۶.۵%). The highest COVID-۱۹ rate was observed in ۲۰۲۱ (۷۲%), whereas the lowest rate was reported in ۲۰۲۴ (۱۳.۸%). Of the COVID-۱۹-positive patients, ۳۲۸ (۱۵.۱%) died, and the bacterial isolates from their urine samples included Escherichia coli (۶۸.۷۵%), which was the most prevalent isolate, followed by Klebsiella spp. (۱۲.۵%), coagulase-negative staphylococci spp. (۱۰%), Enterobacter spp. (۳.۷۵%), nonhemolytic streptococci spp. (۲.۵%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (۱.۲۵%), and Streptococcus beta-hemolytic spp. (۱.۲۵%). Conclusion: Based on the results, the overall mortality rate of COVID-۱۹ over five years was ۱۵.۱%. The most important risk factors for COVID-۱۹-related death included older age, chronic kidney and lung diseases, diabetes mellitus, and male gender. Bacterial isolates from the urine samples of COVID-۱۹ patients were E. coli, Klebsiella spp., coagulase-negative staphylococci spp., P. aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp., and non-hemolytic streptococci spp.