Acinetobacter cavitations in COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is commonly known to cause infection in immunocompromised patients. During COVID-19 pandemic, outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms, including Acinetobacter, have been well documented in acute care hospitals, particularly among critically ill patients. In the case reported, a woman was admitted to our ICU because of a severe COVID-19 pneumonia. During her stay, she worsened due to Acinetobacterrelated lung cavitations and only after proper antibiotic treatment she eventually recovered. To our knowledge, very few cases have been reported pointing to Acinetobacter as a causal agent for the acute development of lung cavities, especially in COVID-19 patients.