Coronavirus Disease 2019 Combined with T. marneffei Infection Complicated by Undiagnosed HIV：A case report and literature review

Abstract

Background: Talaromycosis(TSM) commonly occurs in immunodeficient or immunosuppressed individuals, but it can also occur in healthy populations. The present case reports the COVID-19 together with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) and TSM. Case Presentation: This report describes a 26-year-old male who presented with a fever and cough for 20 days. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 and viral pneumonia through a real-time RT-PCR assay and chest CT scan. However, his symptoms failed to improve significantly despite being treated with high-flow oxygen, levofloxacin antibiotic, and dexamethasone for 5 days. The presence of white streaks in his oral cavity, combined with the patient's history of multiple antibiotics, raised the possibility of a fungal infection. The results of the oral pharyngeal swabs indicated that he was infected with T. marnefii, which led to testing for HIV and eventually confirmed the diagnosis. Conclusion: This case demonstrates the importance of being alert to concurrent fungal infections when infecting with COVID-19 and using multiple antimicrobial agents. Additionally, when infecting with T. marnefii, it is crucial to focus on the presence of HIV infection.