Bronchoalveolar lavage-detected SARS-CoV-2 infection in presence of serial negative nasopharyngeal swabs: a case report.

ABSTRACT: We describe a case of a SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in a Swiss 54-years-old immunocompromised patient (lymphoma, therapy with the anti-CD20 antibody Rituximab^® ), with initial scarce respiratory symptoms but typical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) radiological presentation, and symptoms onset during a holiday trip to Texas (USA). Three nasopharyngeal swabs in the 96 hours following hospital admission were negative, despite a CT thorax suggestive for an early stage of infection. COVID-infection was finally confirmed in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, performed for exclusion of an alternative diagnosis in immunocompromised. In the BAL an increased cellularity with marked lymphocytosis of 35%, a reduced CD4/CD8 ratio of 0.1 and borderline neutrophil

SUBMITTER: Caci G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8105806 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature