RESUMEN
The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, first identified in Wuhan, China in December, 2019, can cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) with massive alveolar damage and progressive respiratory failure. We present the relevant autopsy findings of the first patient known to have died from COVID19 pneumonia in Spain, carried out on the 14th of February, 2020, in our hospital (Hospital Arnau de Vilanova-Lliria, Valencia). Histological examination revealed changes typical of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) in both the exudative and proliferative phase of acute lung injury. Intra-alveolar multinucleated giant cells, smudge cells and vascular thrombosis were present. The diagnosis was confirmed by reverse real-time PCR assay on a throat swab sample taken during the patient's admission. The positive result was reported fifteen days subsequent to autopsy
El nuevo coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, identificado inicialmente en China en diciembre de 2019 puede cursar con un Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo (SARS) con daño alveolar masivo y fracaso respiratorio progresivo. Presentamos los hallazgos más relevantes encontrados en la autopsia clínica efectuada en nuestro hospital (Hospital Arnau de Vilanova-Lliria de Valencia) a fecha de 14 de febrero de 2020, al primer paciente fallecido conocido en España por neumonía COVID-19. A nivel pulmonar, la autopsia revela cambios típicos de daño alveolar difuso (DAD) en fase exudativa y fase proliferativa. Se observan células multinucleadas gigantes, células tipo smudge intraalveolares y trombosis vasculares. El diagnóstico microbiológico confirmativo mediante PCR se realizó 15 días después de la autopsia sobre la muestra faríngea del enfermo tomada durante su ingreso
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Masculino , Anciano , Autopsia/métodos , Infecciones por Coronavirus/mortalidad , Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Grave/mortalidad , Coronavirus Relacionado al Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo/aislamiento & purificación , Técnicas Histológicas/métodos , Alveolos Pulmonares/patología , España/epidemiología , Causas de Muerte , PandemiasRESUMEN
The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, first identified in Wuhan, China in December, 2019, can cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) with massive alveolar damage and progressive respiratory failure. We present the relevant autopsy findings of the first patient known to have died from COVID19 pneumonia in Spain, carried out on the 14th of February, 2020, in our hospital (Hospital Arnau de Vilanova-Lliria, Valencia). Histological examination revealed typical changes of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) in both the exudative and proliferative phase of acute lung injury. Intra-alveolar multinucleated giant cells, smudge cells and vascular thrombosis were present. The diagnosis was confirmed by reverse real-time PCR assay on a throat swab sample taken during the patient's admission. The positive result was reported fifteen days subsequent to autopsy.