Lung Pathology of Mutually Exclusive Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Streptococcus pneumoniae

Abstract

Postmortem lung pathology of a patient in Japan with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection showed diffuse alveolar damage as well as bronchopneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. The distribution of each pathogen and the accompanying histopathology suggested the infections progressed in a mutually exclusive manner within the lung, resulting in fatal respiratory failure.

Keywords

• coronavirus disease
• COVID-19
• autopsy
• severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
• SARS-CoV-2
• Streptococcus pneumoniae