Severity of COVID-19 reinfection and associated risk factors: findings of a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh

BackgroundCOVID-19 reinfected patients suffer from diverse health consequences. Information on the severity of COVID-19 reinfection is scarce. The current study aimed to determine the proportion of COVID-19 reinfection and risk factors associated with its severity. MethodsThis cross-sectional study targeted all COVID-19 patients reported in May 2021 at the Health Information Unit (HIU) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of Bangladesh. We identified 473 (1.14%) reinfected patients out of 41408 diagnosed cases by reviewing their medical records. Considering the selection criteria and informed consent, we enrolled 404 reinfected patients. Data were collected through telephone interviews and reviewing medical records using a semi-structured questionnaire and a checklist. ResultsThe majority of the reinfected patients were urban residents (98.0%). Around 13.0% of reinfected patients had <90% oxygen saturation, and 64.0% had an interval of 3-6 months between two attacks. The severity of reinfection included asymptomatic (12.9%), mild (8.9%), moderate (66.3%), and severe (11.9%) forms of infection. An interval of 3-6 months between two attacks had less chance of having mild (AOR=0.031, {rho}=0.000), moderate (AOR=0.132, {rho}=0.017), and severe (AOR=0.059, {rho}=0.002) infections. Patients who maintained physical distance had less chance of moderate-intensity reinfection (AOR=0.137, {rho}=0.013), while the vaccinated patients had a higher chance of moderate (AOR=16.127, {rho}=0.001) and severe (AOR=3.894, {rho}=0.047) intensity reinfection. ConclusionTo avert COVID-19 reinfection and its severity, patients should be vigilant about preventive practices even after recovery. The study suggests vibrant interventions aligned with exposure, physical distancing, vaccination, and comorbidities for mitigating reinfection.