Journal Article Epublish
PubMed: 39273246 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179294
Calprotectin, a Promising Serological Biomarker for the Early Diagnosis of Superinfections with Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria in Patients with COVID-19.
Int J Mol Sci 25(17)
Authors: Dennis Keller, Patricia Mester, Ulrich Räth, Sabrina Krautbauer, Stephan Schmid, Verena Greifenberg, Martina Müller, Claudia Kunst, Christa Buechler, Vlad Pavel
Affiliations
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
Abstract
Bacterial and fungal superinfections are common in COVID-19, and early diagnosis can enable timely intervention. Serum calprotectin levels increase with bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. This study evaluated serum calprotectin as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for microbial superinfections in COVID-19. Serum samples from adult patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 were collected during hospitalization from 2020 to 2024. Calprotectin levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 63 patients with moderate COVID-19, 60 patients with severe COVID-19, and 34 healthy individuals. Calprotectin serum levels were elevated in patients with moderate COVID-19 compared with controls, and these levels were further increased in the severe cases. Patients with severe COVID-19 and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) bacteremia had elevated calprotectin levels, but their C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels were not increased. Fungal superinfections and herpes simplex virus reactivation did not change the calprotectin levels. A calprotectin concentration of 31.29 µg/mL can be used to diagnose VRE bloodstream infection with 60% sensitivity and 96% specificity. These data suggest that serum calprotectin may be a promising biomarker for the early detection of VRE bloodstream infections in patients with COVID-19.
MeSH
Early Diagnosis, Serum, Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex, Superinfection, Critical Care, Biomarkers, Covid-19, Sepsis, Diagnosis, Bacteria, Infections