Frontiers in Immunology (Sep 2021)

Long-Term Clinical and Immunological Impact of Severe COVID-19 on a Living Kidney Transplant Recipient – A Case Report

  • Liru Qiu,
  • Ji Zhang,
  • Ji Zhang,
  • Ji Zhang,
  • Ji Zhang,
  • Yafei Huang,
  • Gen Chen,
  • Zhishui Chen,
  • Changsheng Ming,
  • Xia Lu,
  • Nianqiao Gong

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.741765
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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The long-term impact of COVID-19 on transplant recipients remains unknown. We describe the case of a 30-year-old male kidney transplant recipient from Wuhan, China that was treated for severe COVID-19 in February 2020. He suffered an acute lung and renal injury and required systemic treatment including adjustment of his immunosuppressant regime. He was followed up to 1-year after discharge. No chronic lung fibrosis or deterioration of his pulmonary function was observed. Despite COVID-19 mediated damage to his renal tubular cells, no transplant rejection occurred. His immunological profile demonstrated both cellular anti-SARS-CoV-2 reactivity and specific humoral immunity, indicating that it is beneficial for the transplanted patients to be immunized with SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccine. This case will help guide clinical decision making for immunocompromised individuals that become infected with SARS-CoV-2.

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