SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia associated with Pneumocystis jirovecii coinfection in immunocompromised patients: a case report and literature review

ABSTRACT

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia is an opportunistic infection that commonly occurs in patients with severe acquired immunodeficiencies. During the current health contingency, the presence of infection and co-infection by P. jirovecii in critically ill patients is apparently increasing altogether with the risk of fatal outcomes. The following is the case of a man with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, HIV immunosuppression and P. jirovecii coinfection who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring invasive mechanical positive pressure ventilatory support. Despite the in-hospital management received, antibiotic therapy, and ventilatory support, the patient presented hemodynamic deterioration with instability, dying on day 20 of hospitalization. Subsequently, a bibliographic review of the current literature is carried out, discussing aspects such as epidemiology, pathophysiology, timely diagnosis, and treatment between the relationship of P. jirovecii and SARS-CoV-2 in critically ill patients. © 2021 Asociación Colombiana de Medicina Crítica y Cuidado lntensivo