Abstract Viral respiratory infections may predispose to co-infections with other pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, pathogenic respiratory bacteria were detected in patients with and without severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) suffering respiratory symptoms such as cough, fever, odynophagia, rhinorrhea, respiratory distress, and fatigue. Patients without respiratory symptoms were included as controls. Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae were the main bacteria found in patients with respiratory symptoms (including hospitalized patients) in both positive and negative for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Pathogenic bacteria possibly proliferate due to the limited immune response of patients with SARS-CoV-2, perhaps due to dysbiosis generated by the viral infection.