Fatal cytomegalovirus pneumonia in a critically ill patient with COVID‐19

Abstract

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) can cause severe lymphopenia and respiratory failure requiring prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (MV). COVID‐19 patients with severe lymphopenia or respiratory failure are at risk of developing secondary infections. Here, we present the needle autopsy findings of a critically ill patient with COVID‐19 who required reintubation and prolonged MV, and eventually died of secondary cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia. This case highlights the potential risk of long‐term steroid use and the need for routine monitoring for CMV infection in critically ill patients with COVID‐19.

Keywords

• Co‐infection
• corticosteroid therapy
• COVID‐19
• cytomegalovirus pneumonia
• lymphopenia