Coronavirus pneumonia following autologous bone marrow transplantation for breast cancer

Chest. 1999 Mar;115(3):901-5. doi: 10.1378/chest.115.3.901.

Abstract

Infectious bronchitis virus, otherwise known as coronavirus, can cause mild upper respiratory tract illnesses in children and adults. Rarely has coronavirus been linked, either by serology or nasal wash, to pneumonia. We report a case of a young woman who, following treatment for stage IIIA breast cancer using a high-dose chemotherapy regimen followed by autologous bone marrow and stem cell transplantation, developed respiratory failure and was found to have coronavirus pneumonia as diagnosed by electron microscopy from BAL fluid. We propose that coronavirus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute respiratory failure in cancer patients who have undergone high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic support.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation*
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Coronavirus Infections / etiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / etiology
  • Respiratory Insufficiency / virology