Confirmed Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis and COVID-19: the value of postmortem findings to support antemortem management
Monique Freire Santana, Guilherme Pivoto, Márcia Almeida Araújo Alexandre, Djane Clarys Baía-da-Silva, Mayla Gabriela Silva Borba, Fernando Val, José Diego Brito-Sousa, Gisely Cardoso de Melo, Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro, João Vicente Braga de Souza, Silviane Bezerra Pinheiro, Luíz Carlos Lima Ferreira, Felipe Gomes Naveca, Valdinete Alves do Nascimento, André Lima Guerra Corado, Ludhmila Abrahão Hajjar, João Ricardo Silva Neto, George Alan Villarouco Siva, Alessandro C. Pasqualotto, Marcus Vinícius Guimarães Lacerda
Abstract
We present postmortem evidence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in a patient with severe COVID-19. Autopsies of COVID-19 confirmed cases were performed. The patient died despite antimicrobials, mechanical ventilation, and vasopressor support. Histopathology and peripheral blood galactomannan antigen testing confirmed IPA. Aspergillus penicillioides infection was confirmed by nucleotide sequencing and BLAST analysis. Further reports are needed to assess the occurrence and frequency of IPA in SARS-CoV-2 infections, and how they interact clinically.