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Pulmonary cryptococcal infection after COVID-19 recovery:A case report and literature review
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  • Yusheng Yan,
  • Ximing Liao,
  • Haiyan Hu,
  • Lv Yuan,
  • Yuling Tang
Yusheng Yan
First Hospital of Changsha
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Ximing Liao
Shanghai East Hospital
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Haiyan Hu
The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University
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Lv Yuan
First Hospital of Changsha
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Yuling Tang
First Hospital of Changsha

Corresponding Author:tyl2021@126.com

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Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was first reported in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019, and quickly developed into a global pandemic. By reviewing the clinical data of 1 patient with cryptococcus pneumoniae infection after recovered from COVID-19 and reviewing relevant literature, the following possible clinical consequences of COVID-19 were discussed and corresponding relevant management strategies were proposed. Case presentation: A 64-year-old female patient diagnosed with COVID-19 was cured and discharged. Follow-up laboratory tests showed that CD4+ cell count reduced and abnormal CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio, and a growing solid lesion was found on computed tomography (CT) scan after two mouths after discharge. Ineffective broad-spectrum antibiotics treatment and positive cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide antigen tests results indicating the suspicious invasive pulmonary fungal infection due to immunodeficiency. After anti-fungal treatment, the right lung lesion were significantly absorbed. Conclusion: After recovery from COVID-19, T cell count decline may occur, accompanied by host immune dysfunction. Clinicians should pay more attention to secondary infections caused by weakened immunity of COVID-19 patients after recovery, whom might be vigilant against opportunistic pathogens such as Cryptococcus. Key words: COVID-19, invasive fungal infection, Cryptococcus, lymphopenia.