Insights on Covid‐19 with superimposed pulmonary histoplasmosis: The possible nexus

Abstract

A novel coronavirus (CoV) known as severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV type 2 is the causative agent for the development of CoV disease 2019 (Covid‐19). Covid‐19 may increase the risk of developing pulmonary histoplasmosis due to immune dysregulation. In addition, Covid‐19 may enhance the propagation of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis due to lung injury and inflammation, and using corticosteroids in severely affected Covid‐19 patients may reactivate latent pulmonary histoplasmosis. Likewise, activation of inflammatory signaling pathways during H. capsulatum infection may increase the severity of Covid‐19 and vice versa. Furthermore, lymphopenia in Covid‐19 may increase the risk for the progress of pulmonary histoplasmosis besides activation of inflammatory signaling pathways during H. capsulatum infection may increase the severity of Covid‐19 and vice versa. Therefore, this critical review aimed to find the potential link between Covid‐19 pneumonia and pulmonary histoplasmosis concerning the immunological response.