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# Viral coinfections were not linked to severe COVID-19 in systematically tested children
- URL: https://www.coios.me/sars-cov-2-respiratory-coinfections-not-linked-to-worse-covi/
- Published: 2026-09-11T00:48:53.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-11T02:03:33.000Z
- Description: Among 938 Canadian children hospitalised with COVID-19 at centres testing all acute respiratory admissions, the 18.6% with at least one other respiratory virus had no higher odds of severe disease (aOR 0.94, 95% CI 0.76–1.15).
- Author: Daniel Ryan
- Tags: Medical, Healthcare today, What influenza and RSV now cost in deaths, and how well the vaccines hold up, Canada, #peer-reviewed, #refines, #item

A Canadian surveillance study of 2831 hospitalized children with confirmed COVID-19 examined whether coinfection with other respiratory viruses increased severity. Among 938 children at centres with systematic multiplex PCR testing of all acute respiratory admissions, 18.6% had ≥1 coinfection (RSV 39.7%, enterovirus/rhinovirus 38.5% most common). Coinfections showed no increased odds of severe COVID-19 (aOR 0.94, 95% CI 0.76–1.15), but appeared associated with severity in secondary analyses without systematic testing (aOR 1.42), suggesting prior estimates of coinfection severity were confounded by differential testing practices.

*Why it is interesting: Demonstrates that prior observational findings of worse outcomes with coinfection may have reflected ascertainment bias rather than true biological interaction, a methodological lesson for respiratory virus surveillance.*

Source

[The Pediatric infectious disease journal, 2026-09-10](https://doi.org/10.1097/inf.0000000000005396?ref=coios.me)

DOI

10.1097/inf.0000000000005396

Type

Peer-reviewed article

Design

Prospective surveillance, 2831 hospitalized children aged <17 years, Delta and Omicron periods

Verdict

Refines prior evidence

Development

[What influenza and RSV now cost in deaths, and how well the vaccines hold up](https://www.coios.me/d-respiratory-burden/)