DNA test can help identify risk of developing pneumonia among severe Covid-19 patients

Most people who get COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms. But, some who catch the new coronavirus get severe pneumonia in both lungs. COVID-19 pneumonia is a serious illness that can be deadly.

By: Satata Karmakar | | Updated: January 15, 2021 1:57 pm

DNA test can identify pneumonia in patients with severe Covid-19

Researchers have revealed that a DNA test can quickly identify secondary infections in Covid-19 patients, who have double the risk of developing pneumonia while on ventilation. Also Read - New COVID-19 strain is here, protect yourself with three layered surgical masks: Experts

What Is Covid-19 Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes inflammation in the tiny air sacs inside your lungs. They may fill up with so much fluid and pus that it’s hard to breathe. Also Read - COVID-19 surge continues in Maharashtra: Night curfew, full lockdown on weekends in Aurangabad

Most people who get COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms like coughing, a fever, and shortness of breath. But some who catch the new coronavirus get severe pneumonia in both lungs. COVID-19 pneumonia is a serious illness that can be deadly. Also Read - Common people in Delhi to get free COVID-19 vaccines in 3rd phase of immunization

How Does A Patient Develop Pneumonia While On Ventilation?

For patients with the most severe forms of Covid-19, mechanical ventilation is often the only way to keep them alive, as doctors use anti-inflammatory therapies to treat their inflamed lungs.

However, these patients are susceptible to further infections from bacteria and fungi that they may acquire while in the hospital — so-called ‘ventilator-associated pneumonia’.

How Likely Covid-19 Patents Can Develop Pneumonia?

“Early on in the pandemic, we noticed that Covid-19 patients appeared to be particularly at risk of developing secondary pneumonia, and started using a rapid diagnostic test that we had developed for just such a situation,” said co-author Andrew Conway Morris from the University of Cambridge.

“Using this test, we found that patients with Covid-19 were twice as likely to develop secondary pneumonia as other patients in the same intensive care unit,” Conway added.

COVID-19 Pneumonia Symptoms

A fever, a dry cough, and shortness of breath are common early signs of COVID-19 pneumonia. One can also get the following symptoms:

#Unbearable body ache

#Throat congestion

#Difficulty in breathing

#Loss of smell or taste

Who Are At Higher Risk Of Getting Covid-19 Pneumonia?

Well, anyone who has weak immunity can get COVID-19 pneumonia, but it’s more likely in people who are 65 or older. Those who are 85 or older are at the highest risk.

How Can A DNA Test Help?

Normally, confirming a pneumonia diagnosis is challenging, as bacterial samples from patients need to be cultured and grown in a lab, which is time-consuming.

The test takes an alternative approach by detecting the DNA of different pathogens, which allows for faster and more accurate testing, according to a paper published in the journal Critical Care.

The test uses multiple polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which detects the DNA of the bacteria and can be done in around four hours, meaning there is no need to wait for the bacteria to grow.

What Is The Way Forward?

IT runs multiple PCR reactions in parallel, and can simultaneously pick up 52 different pathogens, which often infect the lungs of patients in intensive care. At the same time, it can also test for antibiotic resistance.

“We found that although patients with Covid-19 were more likely to develop secondary pneumonia, the bacteria that caused these infections were similar to those in ICU patients without Covid-19,” said lead author Mailis Maes from the varsity.

“This means that standard antibiotic protocols can be applied to Covid-19 patients,” Maes added.

Published : January 15, 2021 1:57 pm | Updated:January 15, 2021 1:57 pm

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