COVID-19 associated parotitis

Abstract

As the 2019 coronavirus pandemic has unfolded, an increasing number of atypical presentations of COVID-19 have been reported. As patients with COVID-19 often present to emergency departments for initial care, it is important that emergency clinicians are familiar with these atypical presentations in order to prevent disease transmission. We present a case of a 21-year-old woman diagnosed in our ED with COVID-19 associated parotitis and review the epidemiology and management of parotitis. We discuss the importance of considering COVID-19 in the differential of parotitis and other viral-associated syndromes and emphasize the importance of donning personal protective equipment during the initial evaluation.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Parotitis.

Fig. 1

Axial image from a contrast enhanced CT of the neck demonstrates diffuse asymmetric swelling of the left parotid gland with surrounding fat stranding without associated obstructing stone, mass, or abscess.

Fig. 2

Coronal images from a contrast enhanced CT of the neck demonstrates diffuse asymmetric swelling of the left parotid gland with surrounding fat stranding without evidence of an obstructing stone, mass, or abscess. The acute periparotid inflammatory change is associated with thickening of the overlying platysma muscle, enlargement of adjacent lymph nodes, and extensive free fluid tracking throughout the left neck.