biostudies-literatureNunes MCDepartment of Science and Technology and National Research FoundationBill and Melinda Gates FoundationSouth African Medical Research Councile0262179https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8775212biostudies-literatureUnknown17(1)Comparisons of histopathological features and microbiological findings between decedents with respiratory symptoms due to SARS-CoV-2 infection or other causes, in settings with high prevalence of HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infections have not been reported. Deaths associated with a positive ante-mortem SARS-CoV-2 PCR test and/or respiratory disease symptoms at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, South Africa from 15th April to 2nd November 2020, during the first wave of the South African COVID-19 epidemic, were investigated. Deceased adult patients had post-mortem minimally-invasive tissue sampling (MITS) performed to investigate for SARS-CoV-2 infection and molecular detection of putative pathogens on blood and lung samples, and histopathology examination of PloS oneClinical characteristics and histopathology of COVID-19 related deaths in South African adults.PMC8775212South African Research Chair Initiative in Vaccine Preventable DiseasesINV-016202SHIP NCD 96756Thwala BNDludlu NMenezes CLaubscher MMahtab SBaillie VLNunes MCHale MJMabena FCMckenzie Svan Blydenstein SDulisse BMadhi SASerafin NTsitsi Mdu Plessis JMtshali SEls TfalseClinical characteristics and histopathology of COVID-19 related deaths in South African adults.Comparisons of histopathological features and microbiological findings between decedents with respiratory symptoms due to SARS-CoV-2 infection or other causes, in settings with high prevalence of HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infections have not been reported. Deaths associated with a positive ante-mortem SARS-CoV-2 PCR test and/or respiratory disease symptoms at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, South Africa from 15th April to 2nd November 2020, during the first wave of the South African COVID-19 epidemic, were investigated. Deceased adult patients had post-mortem minimally-invasive tissue sampling (MITS) performed to investigate for SARS-CoV-2 infection and molecular detection of putative pathogens on blood and lung samples, and histopathology examination of 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222026-06-04T03:22:59.361Z2025-05-18T12:09:32.287ZS-EPMC87752123505120510.1371/journal.pone.0262179