The paper also suggests the likeliness of the gut microbiota being disrupted in severe COVID-19 patients, which may affect disease outcomes, including predisposition to secondary bacterial infections of the lung.

Jose Bengoechea, Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Director of Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen's University, explains: "The lack of therapies to treat severe COVID-19 patients led clinicians to use a number of treatments to modify the activity of their immune system.

"However, it is important to note that these interventions may also increase the risk of potentially fatal secondary bacterial respiratory infections.

"Therefore, careful consideration should be given whether any potential new therapy may affect the patients' defences against bacterial infections. We believe that there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutics to treat COVID-19 targeting the virus/bacteria co-infection scenario."

The research also raises concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally.

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COVID-19: Researchers warn of sharp rise in antimicrobial resistance - National Herald