Case report: Disseminated herpes simplex virus 1 infection and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis after immunomodulatory therapy in a patient with coronavirus disease 2019

Corticosteroids and immunomodulatory therapies are widely used to treat patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors such as tofacitinib have been recently studied as adjuvants in the treatment of COVID-19. Although immunomodulatory therapies may be linked...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elvio Mazzotta, Juan Fiorda Diaz, Marco Echeverria-Villalobos, Gregory Eisinger, Sarah Sprauer, Arindam Singha, Michael R. Lyaker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.1053012/full
Description
Summary:Corticosteroids and immunomodulatory therapies are widely used to treat patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors such as tofacitinib have been recently studied as adjuvants in the treatment of COVID-19. Although immunomodulatory therapies may be linked to decreased mortality rates in the acute phase, subsequent severe infectious complications may result from them. We describe a case of a multiorgan system failure secondary to disseminated primary herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) following treatment with tofacitinib and high-dose dexamethasone therapy for severe COVID-19. Early diagnosis and treatment of these life-threatening conditions may have a significant impact on COVID-19 patients’ outcomes.
ISSN:2296-858X