Family cluster with heterogeneous symptoms

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: We present the heterogeneous clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a family cluster of Varese. Two ofthe five members were healthcare workers, and all of them weretreated at home. Description of cases First case was a 29-year woman, who wasdiagnosed with COVID-19 after close contact with affected patientsat work, despite absence of symptoms at time. She lived with herfamily. The day after testing (day 1) she developed fever and malaise,followed by arthralgia, headache and sudden loss of smell and tasteby day 2. On day 3 her father, a 53-year old ex-smoker with history of hypertension, presented with fever for 5 days with subsequentapparent recovery. On the same day, her mother, a 53-year old physician, developed arthralgia and cough without sputum. On day 5 oneof her brothers (26 years old) had fever and diarrhoea. On day 11her father presented new onset of fever (up to 41.8°C), dysgeusia,dyspnoea and desaturation on air. According to local protocol hewas treated with idrossicloroquine, antibiotics, a course of steroids,heparin and mild oxygen support with progressive improvement ofrespiratory function. On day 17 the other brother (22-year-old) reported headache, anosmia and dysgeusia. Serological testing confirmed COVID-19 infections. Conclusions: Three weeks later her father underwent a CT scanshowing sparse pulmonary infiltrates suggestive of resolvingCOVID-19 pneumonia. All members recovered, but our patient, herfather and brother still complain of hyposmia and dysgeusia afterover three months.