New life, new feelings of loss: Journaling new motherhood during Covid-19.

In this article we analyze the longitudinal journals of 32 Pandemic Journaling Project (PJP) participants who were pregnant, planned a pregnancy, or gave birth between January 2020 and July 2021. Employing a grounded theory approach, we coded journals in NVivo for emerging themes related to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on perinatal experiences in North America and Europe. In the paper we first provide some brief background on perinatal mental health and on the particular conditions for pregnancy and birth during Covid-19, before introducing major themes that emerged from the data, along with three in-depth case studies. We argue that the new mothers and prospective mothers in our sample associated new life with new feelings of loss during Covid-19. New motherhood during Covid-19 has meant for PJP participants a loss of seemingly irretrievable opportunities and moments that they see as necessary for establishing themselves as mothers and integrating their babies into their families through a process of "kinning" (Howell, 2003). Feelings of loss associated with disruptions to kinning may be partially responsible for the increase in perinatal mental distress observed during the pandemic.

Successful treatment of a kidney transplant patient with COVID-19 and late-onset Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Solid transplant patients are susceptible to Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). While the vast majority of PJP cases occur within the first 6 months after transplantation, very few PJP cases are seen beyond 1 year post-transplantation (late-onset PJP). PJP and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2) share quite a few common clinical manifestations and imaging findings, making the diagnosis of PJP often underappreciated during the current COVID-19 pandemic. To date, only 1 case of kidney transplantation who developed COVID-19 and late-onset PJP has been reported, but this patient also suffered from many other infections and died from respiratory failure and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. A successful treatment of kidney patients with COVID-19 and late-onset PJP has not been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 55-year-old male kidney transplant patient with COVID-19 who also developed late-onset PJP. He received a combined treatment strategy, including specific anti-pneumocystis therapy, symptomatic supportive therapy, adjusted immunosuppressive therapy, and use of antiviral drugs/antibiotics, ending with a favorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the importance of prompt and differential diagnosis of PJP in kidney transplant patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further studies are required to clarify if kidney transplant patients with COVID-19 could be prone to develop late-onset PJP and how these patients should be treated.

Concurrent COVID-19 and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: The importance of radiological diagnostic and HIV testing.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has changed the focus of healthcare and become a public health challenge around the world. The coinfection of SARS-CoV-2 with other microorganisms, including fungi, can cause difficult diagnosis and a worse prognosis. Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is a common opportunistic infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. However, sometimes the diagnosis is late presented after PJP finding on chest X-ray. We report a 24-year-old man with COVID-19 and PJP. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed positive for SARS-CoV-2. HIV diagnosis was late presented after PJP finding on chest X-ray examination. HIV serology was positive with an absolute CD4+ count was 16 cells/mm3. He was treated with remdesivir IV, methylprednisolone IV, heparin, and cefoperazone-sulbactam IV. He was discharged after being admitted for 25 days. HIV treatment was started in outpatient services. Radiological diagnostic to diagnose concurrent COVID-19 and PJP pneumonia are important, especially in the setting where microscopic examination of sputum or Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (BALF) is not available, or because BAL and sputum induction are aerosol-generating procedures that potentially increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission. HIV testing in COVID-19 patients was also should be considered as part of directed screening in patients presenting with features of PJP, especially for those with unknown HIV status. The determination of an appropriate corticosteroid dose is important to treat both COVID-19 and PJP with severe clinical features. Proper diagnosis and treatment co-infections are urgently needed in this current pandemic to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Narrative review of the relationship between COVID-19 and PJP: does it represent coinfection or colonization?

BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) is increasingly identified on lower respiratory tract specimens of COVID-19 patients. Our narrative review aims to determine whether the diagnosis of pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in COVID-19 patients represents coinfection or colonization based on the evidence available in the literature. We also discuss the decision to treat COVID-19 patients with coinfection by PJP. METHODS: A literature search was performed through the Pubmed and Web of Science databases from inception to March 10, 2021. RESULTS: We identified 12 COVID-19 patients suspected to have PJP coinfection. All patients were critically ill and required mechanical ventilation. Many were immunosuppressed from HIV or long-term corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive agents. In both the HIV and non-HIV groups, severe lymphocytopenia was encountered with absolute lymphocyte and CD4+T cell count less than 900 and 200 cells/mm, respectively. The time to PJP diagnosis from the initial presentation was 7.8 (range 2-21) days. Serum lactate dehydrogenase and beta-D-glucan were elevated in those coinfected with PJP. All patients were treated with anti-PJP therapy, predominantly sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim with corticosteroids. The overall mortality rate was 41.6%, and comparable for both HIV and non-HIV groups. CONCLUSION: As the current evidence is restricted to case reports, the true incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of COVID-19 patients with PJP coinfections cannot be accurately determined. Comorbidities of poorly controlled HIV with lymphocytopenia and multiple immunosuppressive therapies are likely predisposing factors for PJP coinfection.

Co-infection with coronavirus disease 2019, previously undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and cytomegalovirus pneumonitis, with possible immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Case reports, case series and cohort studies have been published describing the clinical course and outcomes of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) who contract coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. However, the majority of the published work focuses on patients with well-controlled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART). CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a new diagnosis of HIV with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) made simultaneously to diagnosis of COVID-19, with co-infection with pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) and possible cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonitis. The patient decompensated following initiation of ART, suggestive of possible immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the importance of maintaining a high suspicion for HIV/AIDS in patients with risk factors. Additionally, this case raises the possibility that IRIS may develop in the setting of ART initiation in patients with COVID-19.