Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Patient with Disseminated Histoplasmosis and HIV—A Case Report from Argentina and Literature Review
Fernando Messina, Emmanuel Marín, Diego H. Cáceres, Mercedes Romero, Roxana Depardo, María Marta Priarone, Laura Rey, Mariana Vázquez, Paul E. Verweij, Tom Chiller, Gabriela Santiso
Abstract
The disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2, known as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), was first identified in China in December 2019 and rapidly spread around the world. Coinfections with fungal pathogens in patients with COVID-19 add challenges to patient care. We conducted a literature review on fungal coinfections in patients with COVID-19. We describe a report of a patient with disseminated histoplasmosis who was likely infected with SARS-CoV-2 and experienced COVID-19 during hospital care in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This patient presented with advanced HIV disease, a well-known factor for disseminated histoplasmosis; on the other hand, we suspected that COVID-19 was acquired during hospitalization but there is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis. Clinical correlation and the use of specific Histoplasma and COVID-19 rapid diagnostics assays were key to the timely diagnosis of both infections, permitting appropriate treatment and patient care.