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Impact of persistent coronavirus infection on the treatment of an immunocompromised oncological patient
, 2, 2, 34
Affiliations- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Pulmonology & Allergology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
- Board of Directors, University Clinical Centre of Medical University of Gdansk
- Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk
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Abstract
The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has challenged many aspects of the management of clinical care. It has negatively impacted the already overwhelmed healthcare system in Poland, leading to further limitation of access to specialist care, delay of treatment and even failure to initiate it. Patients with severe, rapidly progressing diseases such as cancer, are among those most adversely affected. Immunocompromised patients are prone to persistent COVID-19 infection and re-test positively even when asymptomatic. In this case report, the authors present an immunocompromised patient with follicular lymphoma and active tuberculosis, who re-tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in real-time polymerase chain reaction and rapid antigen tests twenty-two times over seventeen weeks of hospitalisation in the isolation ward in University Clinical Centre in Gdansk, Poland. The management of her oncological treatment was significantly disturbed by prolonged isolation and organisational issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic.
Abstract
The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has challenged many aspects of the management of clinical care. It has negatively impacted the already overwhelmed healthcare system in Poland, leading to further limitation of access to specialist care, delay of treatment and even failure to initiate it. Patients with severe, rapidly progressing diseases such as cancer, are among those most adversely affected. Immunocompromised patients are prone to persistent COVID-19 infection and re-test positively even when asymptomatic. In this case report, the authors present an immunocompromised patient with follicular lymphoma and active tuberculosis, who re-tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in real-time polymerase chain reaction and rapid antigen tests twenty-two times over seventeen weeks of hospitalisation in the isolation ward in University Clinical Centre in Gdansk, Poland. The management of her oncological treatment was significantly disturbed by prolonged isolation and organisational issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 infection, immunocompromised host, follicular lymphoma, persistent infection, critical illness
About this articleTitle
Impact of persistent coronavirus infection on the treatment of an immunocompromised oncological patient
Journal
Palliative Medicine in Practice
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
183-186
Published online
2022-07-18
Page views
3831
Article views/downloads
264
DOI
Bibliographic record
Palliat Med Pract 2022;16(3):183-186.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic
SARS-CoV-2 infection
immunocompromised host
follicular lymphoma
persistent infection
critical illness
Authors
Martyna Gołębiewska
Olga Piątek
Krzysztof Kuziemski
Tomasz Stefaniak
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