An Autopsy for Persistent Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia during Follicular Lymphoma Treatment

Abstract

A 66-year-old man who was receiving treatment for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma presented with fever. He tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antigen. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed pneumonia. Therefore, remdesivir was administered to the patient. However, steroid pulse therapy was initiated owing to the lack of any symptom improvement and a worsening of the CT findings. The patient developed recurrent fever following a reduction in the steroid dose. His respiratory condition gradually worsened, and he eventually died. Autopsy revealed diffuse alveolar damage. In high-risk patients with hematologic malignancy, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination should be repeated at shorter intervals to avoid increasing the viral load during the COVID-19 infection.