Legionella and SARS-CoV-2 Coinfection in a Patient With Pneumonia – An Outbreak in Northern Portugal

Camões, João; Lobato, Carolina Tintim; Beires, Francisca; Gomes, Ernestina

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has plagued virtually every continent and country, and Portugal is no exception. The high number of cases has caused a major burden on health services and obvious economic consequences, forcing an important reformulation in the health sectors’ organization. In the past weeks, counties in the country's northern coastal region have reported an increasing number of Legionella cases, whose origin is yet to be determined. This exacerbates the already important pressure on the region’s health facilities. We present a case of a patient diagnosed with Legionella pneumonia and concomitant coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, highlighting the need for etiological investigation not only for common community agents but also for pandemic pathogens and regional outbreaks.