Co-infection with Legionella and SARS-CoV-2: a case report

Masaru Shimizu; Yusuke Chihara; Sakiko Satake; Astuko Yone; Mari Makio; Hideki Kitou; Tomohiro Takeda

doi:10.1186/s40981-021-00467-3

Co-infection with Legionella and SARS-CoV-2: a case report

JA Clin Rep. 2021 Aug 18;7(1):62. doi: 10.1186/s40981-021-00467-3.

Authors

Masaru Shimizu¹, Yusuke Chihara², Sakiko Satake³, Astuko Yone³, Mari Makio³, Hideki Kitou³, Tomohiro Takeda³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA. masaru@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp.
² Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Uji-Tokushukai Medical, 145 Ishibashi Makishimacho, Uji, Kyoto, Japan.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, Uji-Tokushukai Medical, 145 Ishibashi Makishimacho, Uji, Kyoto, Japan.

Abstract

Introduction: We report a case of COVID-19 with Legionella co-infection that was treated successfully.

Case report: A 73-year-old man presented to the hospital with symptoms of fatigue that continued for the next 5 days. The patient was receiving docetaxel and prednisolone chemotherapy for prostate cancer. Laboratory findings on admission showed positive urine Legionella antigen test and SARS-CoV-2 test. He was administered antiviral and antibacterial agents, and a corticosteroid. Pneumonia exacerbated on day 2 of hospitalization. The patient underwent tracheal intubation and began receiving multidisciplinary care. On day 8 of hospitalization, his oxygenation improved, and the patient was extubated. He discharged on day 27 of hospitalization.

Conclusions: The patient had a favorable outcome with early diagnosis and early treatment of both diseases. Patients with severe COVID-19 disease need to be evaluated for co-infection. Further, early diagnosis and early treatment of the microbial bacteria causing the co-infection are important.

Keywords: Co-infection; Early diagnosis; Early treatment; Legionella; Pneumonia; SARS-CoV-2.