Clinical and laboratory characteristic of patients with COVID-19 and meningococcal co-infection

Objective. To analyze clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with COVID-19 and meningococcal co-infection. Patients and methods. We analyzed cases of mixed infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 and meningococci in 8 patients treated in Moscow Multidisciplinary Clinical Center ‘Kommunarka.’ We used mass spectrometry for microbiological examination followed by culturing in accordance with the results of examination. All patients were tested positive for COVID-19 by PCR and meningococcal infection by bacteriological method. Results. Patients were admitted to hospital on average 5.88 ± 4.2 days after COVID-19 onset. Two patients had moderate disease, whereas 6 patients had severe disease and were admitted to the intensive care unit. Study participants presented with different forms of meningococcal infection, including nasopharyngitis (n = 1), meningitis (n = 1), pneumonia (n = 2), meningococcemia (n = 3), and mixed form meningitis and meningococcemia (n = 1). Fatal outcome was observed in 37.5% of cases. Conclusion. The problem of meningococcal infection remains highly relevant during the COVID–19 pandemic. Сo-infection is characterized by an increase in the proportion of rare forms (pneumonia), which requires special attention of clinicians. The implementation of mass spectrometry will allow early detection of meningococcal infection in patients with rare forms and timely initiation of adequate and optimal therapy. Key words: meningococcal infection, COVID–19, co-infection.