Spontaneous pneumothorax and COVID-19: Precipitants to a complex HIV-AIDS diagnosis

Abstract

A 48-year-old male presented with spontaneous pneumothorax requiring chest tube placement in the setting of COVID-19 infection. CT chest revealed bilateral ground-glass opacities and multiple, large, gas-filled, cavitary lesions in the lungs bilaterally. These imaging findings led to an initial HIV diagnosis with the patient presenting at a CD4+ count of <32 cells/µL. He was found to additionally have infections with Mycobacterium kansasii, cytomegalovirus, Pneumocystis jirovecii, and Candida albicans. After developing worsening hypoxic respiratory failure, he developed additional pneumothoraces bilaterally, requiring repeated chest tube placement. He was treated with antimicrobial therapy for his underlying infections and subsequently started on combined antiretroviral therapy.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Spontaneous pneumothorax
• HIV