Young Healthy Patient With Severe COVID-19 and Fulminant Community-Acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pneumonia: A Case Report

Abstract

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in healthy adults can rapidly lead to severe outcomes. We treated a case of P. aeruginosa -induced CAP and concurrent severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a healthy 39-year-old man without other serious risk factors for severe illness except smoking. Immediately after admission, the patient developed sepsis and received intensive broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy with meropenem and vancomycin, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VAECMO), and catecholamine supplementation. Despite receiving multidisciplinary treatment, the patient died within 24 hours. P. aeruginosa with normal antimicrobial susceptibility was identified in blood and sputum cultures of samples taken at admission. Gram staining of the bacteria detected in blood cultures was suspicious for non-glucose-fermenting Gram-negative rods, including P. aeruginosa, and the antimicrobial regimen that was initiated following admission was considered effective. The patient was a plumber and a smoker, which are risk factors for P. aeruginosa- induced CAP, and the clinical course matched those in previous reports of P. aeruginosa- induced CAP, including necrotizing pneumonia with cavities and rapid progression of sepsis. Although COVID-19 can be the sole cause of septic shock, the combination of P. aeruginosa bacteremia and COVID-19 was possibly the cause of septic shock in this case. Even during an infectious disease pandemic, reviewing the patient's occupational history and comorbidities and performing blood and sputum culture tests, including Gram staining, are important for the provision of appropriate treatment.