COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in an Adolescent Patient with Allergic Asthma

Özdemir, Öner; Nezir Engin, Muhammet Mesut; Yılmaz, Emine Aylin

BACKGROUND: The latest coronavirus infection due to SARS-CoV-2, which started in China in December 2019, was announced as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020. All epidemiological data so far show us that SARS-CoV-2 infection is less serious in children than in adults. Allergic asthma, the most common chronic disease in children, is usually not to be related to greater risk or severity for COVID-19 in pediatric populations. Although reports/research on asthma and COVID-19 in children have thus far been comforting, when coming across an asthma patient with any lower airway infection, attention should be given to evaluate their asthma control level and the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Case Report. Here, we report a rare adolescent case of COVID-19-related pneumonia development with underlying asthma. A 16-year-old male patient has been followed up by the pediatric allergy outpatient clinic with the diagnosis of asthma for the last 5 years. He was thought to have typical clinical and laboratory findings for SARS-CoV-2 infection combined with underlying pediatric (allergic) asthma. Pulmonary CT showed findings consistent with COVID-19-related pneumonia. He was discharged after 1 week when all his complaints regressed, his examination became normal, and 5-day favipiravir treatment was completed. CONCLUSION: When a physician comes across an asthma patient with any lower airway infection, attention should be given to evaluate their asthma control level and possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection.