ABSTRACT
Background
Streptococcus pneumoniae interacts with numerous viral respiratory pathogens in the upper airway. It is unclear whether similar interactions occur with SARS-CoV-2.
Methods
We collected saliva specimens from working-age adults receiving SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing at outpatient clinics and via mobile community-outreach testing between July and November 2020 in Monterey County, California. Following bact erial culture enrichment, we tested for pneumococci by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting the
lytA and
piaB genes, and measured associations with SARS-CoV-2 infection via conditional logistic regression.
Results
Analyses included 1,278 participants, with 564 enrolled in clinics and 714 enrolled through outreach-based testing. Prevalence of pneumococcal carriage was 9.2% (117/1,278) among all participants (11.2% [63/564] clinic-based testing; 7.6% [54/714] outreach testing). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 27.4% (32/117) among pneumococcal carriers and 9.6% (112/1,161) among non-carriers (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.73; 95% confidence interval: 1.58-4.69). Associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and pneumococcal carriage were enhanced in the clinic-based sample (aOR = 4.01 [2.08-7.75]) and among symptomatic participants (aOR = 3.38 [1.35-8.40]), when compared to fin dings within the outreach-based sample and among asymptomatic participants. Adjusted odds of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection increased 1.24 (1.00-1.55)-fold for each 1-unit decrease in
piaB qPCR C
T value among pneumococcal carriers. Last, pneumococcal carriage modified the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with recent exposure to a suspected COVID-19 case (aOR = 7.64 [1.91-30.7] and 3.29 [1.94-5.59]) among pneumococcal carriers and non-carriers, respectively).
Conclusions
Associations of pneumococcal carriage detection and density with SARS-CoV-2 suggest a synergistic relationship in the upper airway. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine interaction mechanisms between pneumococci and SARS-CoV-2.