Cytomegalovirus-Induced Gastrointestinal Bleeding and Pancreatitis Complicating Severe Covid-19 Pneumonia: a Paradigmatic Case.

Abstract

Key points: • COVID-19 is a novel pandemic disease whose pathophysiology and clinical description are still not completely defined. • Besides respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (especially including anorexia, diarrhea, and abdominal pain) represent the commonest clinical manifestations. • Emerging data point out that severe SARS-CoV-2 infection causes an immune dysregulation, which in turn may favor other infections. • Here we describe a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who developed in the resolving phase abdominal pain associated to cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced duodenitis with bleeding, and pancreatitis. • A high level of suspicion toward multiple infections, including CMV, should be maintained in COVID-19 patients with heterogeneous clinical manifestations.

Keywords

• cytomegalovirus
• sars-cov-2