LAUSR

TOPIC: Chest Infections TYPE: Medical Student/Resident Case Reports INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, superimposed infections with both bacterial and fungal organisms have been shown to complicate the viral process. Aspergillus and candida are the most common fungal organisms reported [2];but there have also been a few case reports with co-infection from Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) [1,3]. We present a COVID patient with lymphopenia and diffuse ground glass opacities who was also diagnosed with PJP. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old male with past medical history of emphysema liver cirrhosis presented to the hospital with nausea, vomiting and abdominal distention. On examination he was afebrile, hypotensive with a blood pressure of 88/56, SpO2 was 96% on room air. His lungs were clear on auscultation and abdominal exam was notable for moderate ascites. There was 2+ pedal edema bilaterally. Laboratory work-up showed a WBC count of 12000/µL, only 7% of which were lymphocytes. Chest X-ray did not reveal any acute pathology and screening COVID-19 PCR was negative. He was admitted to the medical ward for management of alcohol withdrawal and decompensated liver cirrhosis. He developed hypoxic respiratory failure within 24 hours of presentation. CT chest (Figure 1) showed multifocal ground glass opacities along with bilateral pleural effusions and consolidative airspace disease at bases. A repeat COVID PCR resulted positive. His respiratory failure progressively worsened over the next two weeks despite being treated with remdesivir, dexamethasone and empiric broad spectrum antibiotics. He was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation. Repeat imaging (Figure 2) showed worsening diffuse ground glass opacities now with more predominant cystic changes. Bronchoscopy with broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, PCR testing of the BAL sample detected Pneumocystis jirovecii. He was then started on Bactrim in conjunction with steroids for the high A-a gradient. HIV antibody was negative, CD4 lymphocyte count was low at 304/µL and CD8 counts were normal at 311/µL. The patient slowly started to improve and was successfully extubated after three weeks. However, he later on developed septic shock from candidemia and was placed on hospice care by family due to his poor functional status. DISCUSSION: As with many viral infections, patient's with COVID-19 have demonstrated considerable risk for developing concomitant bacterial and fungal infections. We speculate that lymphopenia with low absolute CD4 count, combined with the use of corticosteroids may play a role in susceptibility to opportunistic infections in otherwise immunocompetent hosts. CONCLUSIONS: When critically ill COVID patient's fail to improve and have persistent lymphopenia, co-infections should be considered and appropriately worked up. REFERENCE #1: A case of COVID-19 and Pneumoncystis jirovecii Coinfection. A. Menon et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020 Jul REFERENCE #2: Invasive Fungal Disease Complicating Coronavirus Disease 2019: When It Rains, It Spores. M.Hoenigl. Clinical infectious diseases. 2020 September REFERENCE #3: Pneumocystis and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Coinfection: A Case Report and Review of an Emerging Diagnostic Dilemma. C. Rubiano. Open Forum Infectious Diseases. January 2021. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Ahmed Mahgoub, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Joseph Meharg, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Leandro Ramirez, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Ajit Thota, source=Web Response