COVID-19 in lung transplant recipients

Abstract

Solid organ transplant recipients are considered at high risk for COVID-19 infection due to chronic immune suppression; little data currently exists on the manifestations and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in lung transplant recipients. Here we report 8 cases of COVID-19 identified in patients with a history of lung transplant. We describe the clinical course of disease as well as preexisting characteristics of these patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; immune suppression; lung transplant.

FIGURE 1

Image A: axial CT image at time of diagnosis of patient 1 (left lung allograft) demonstrating predominant allograft involvement with ground glass, interstitial prominence, and consolidation. Image B: coronal CT image at time of diagnosis of patient 2 (left lung allograft) demonstrating only involvement of native right lung with peripheral ground glass. Image C: axial CT image at time of diagnosis for patient 6 (bilateral lung allograft) demonstrating bilateral involvement with interstitial and GGO pattern in left allograft and posterior consolidation in right allograft. Images D and E: normal chest plain film (D) for patient 4 (bilateral lung allograft) at time of diagnosis but demonstrates subtle peripheral GGO nodules on simultaneous axial CT image (E)