The reactivation of the various types of viruses following COVID-19 infection: a systematic review

Abstract

Aims: The reactivation of various viruses following COVID-19 infection has been reported in several studies. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the reactivation of other viruses remains unclear. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the reactivation of various types of viruses following COVID-19 infection. Materials and methods: A systematic search of electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar was conducted to identify relevant studies. The quality assessment of the studies was used by the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool. Results: A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The findings demonstrated that the reactivation of human herpesviruses (HHV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were among the most commonly reported viral reactivations following COVID-19 infection. The quality assessment of the included studies revealed overall moderate to high quality. Conclusions: This study revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that its genetic material is RNA activates viruses with DNA genetic material. The immunosuppressive drugs such as high-dose corticosteroids or monoclonal antibodies can increase the risk of viral reactivation in patients with COVID-19.