Cytomegalovirus-Induced Gastrointestinal Bleeding and Pancreatitis Complicating Severe Covid-19 Pneumonia: a Paradigmatic Case.

• Main Authors: Giacomo Marchi, Alice Vianello, Ernesto Crisafulli, Alessio Maroccia, Stefano Francesco Crinò, Sara Pecori, Giulia A Zamboni, Fulvia Mazzaferri, Evelina Tacconelli, Domenico Girelli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2020-08-01
• Series: Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: cytomegalovirus; sars-cov-2
• Online Access: https://www.mjhid.org/index.php/mjhid/article/view/4267

Key points: • COVID-19 is a novel pandemic disease whose pathophysiology and clinical description are still not completely defined. • Besides respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (especially including anorexia, diarrhea, and abdominal pain) represent the commonest clinical manifestations. • Emerging data point out that severe SARS-CoV-2 infection causes an immune dysregulation, which in turn may favor other infections. • Here we describe a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who developed in the resolving phase abdominal pain associated to cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced duodenitis with bleeding, and pancreatitis. • A high level of suspicion toward multiple infections, including CMV, should be maintained in COVID-19 patients with heterogeneous clinical manifestations.