Journal of Fungi (Nov 2020)

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Patient with Disseminated Histoplasmosis and HIV—A Case Report from Argentina and Literature Review

  • Fernando A. Messina,
  • Emmanuel Marin,
  • Diego H. Caceres,
  • Mercedes Romero,
  • Roxana Depardo,
  • Maria M. Priarone,
  • Laura Rey,
  • Mariana Vázquez,
  • Paul E. Verweij,
  • Tom M. Chiller,
  • Gabriela Santiso

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6040275
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 4
p. 275

Abstract

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The disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2, known as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), was first identified in China in December 2019 and rapidly spread around the world. Coinfections with fungal pathogens in patients with COVID-19 add challenges to patient care. We conducted a literature review on fungal coinfections in patients with COVID-19. We describe a report of a patient with disseminated histoplasmosis who was likely infected with SARS-CoV-2 and experienced COVID-19 during hospital care in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This patient presented with advanced HIV disease, a well-known factor for disseminated histoplasmosis; on the other hand, we suspected that COVID-19 was acquired during hospitalization but there is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis. Clinical correlation and the use of specific Histoplasma and COVID-19 rapid diagnostics assays were key to the timely diagnosis of both infections, permitting appropriate treatment and patient care.

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