Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (Jul 2020)

Confirmed Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis and COVID-19: the value of postmortem findings to support antemortem management

  • Monique Freire Santana,
  • Guilherme Pivoto,
  • Márcia A. Araujo Alexandre,
  • Djane Clarys Baía-da-Silva,
  • Mayla Gabriela da Silva Borba,
  • Fernando Almeida Val,
  • Jose Diego Brito-Sousa,
  • Gisely Cardoso Melo,
  • Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro,
  • João Vicente Braga Souza,
  • Silviane Bezerra Pinheiro,
  • Luiz Carlos Lima Ferreira,
  • Felipe Gomes Naveca,
  • Valdinete Alves Nascimento,
  • André Lima Guerra Corado,
  • Ludhmila Abrahão Hajjar,
  • João Ricardo Silva Neto,
  • George Alan Villarouco Siva,
  • Alessandro C. Pasqualotto,
  • Marcus Vinícius Guimarães Lacerda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0401-2020
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 53

Abstract

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Abstract We present postmortem evidence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in a patient with severe COVID-19. Autopsies of COVID-19 confirmed cases were performed. The patient died despite antimicrobials, mechanical ventilation, and vasopressor support. Histopathology and peripheral blood galactomannan antigen testing confirmed IPA. Aspergillus penicillioides infection was confirmed by nucleotide sequencing and BLAST analysis. Further reports are needed to assess the occurrence and frequency of IPA in SARS-CoV-2 infections, and how they interact clinically.

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