Salpingitis and intra-abdominal abscess due to Staphylococcus cohnii in adolescent with COVID-19: case report

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This is a case report of a patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection primarily manifesting gastrointestinal symptoms, but with gynecologic involvement and development of secondary infection by Staphylococcus cohnii, an opportunistic pathogen that is uncommon in healthy patients. CASE REPORT: A 14-year-old sexually inactive female patient, presented with vomiting, fever, diarrhea and abdominal pain, without associated respiratory symptoms. The patient was admitted to the hospital, where she tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and a CT-scan revealed a thickened left fallopian tube. After 7 days of increasing pain intensity and fever recurrence, the patient underwent a new CT-scan that showed a large amount of fluid in the pelvis. The abscess was drained and subsequent bacterial culture revealed growth of Staphylococcus cohnii. A 14-day course of antibiotic therapy guided by an antibiogram was performed, achieving a good patient outcome. COMMENTS: Salpingitis is rarely caused by viruses. It is generally caused by sexually transmitted bacteria. We found no reports of salpingitis related to SARS-CoV-2. Since the patient was sexually inactive and had a positive RT-PCR test, the possibility of a viral etiology was raised. This could be a possible clinical manifestation of coronavirus, although further studies are necessary to characterize this relationship. Staphylococcus cohnii infection is commonly opportunistic, but presumably, it occurred due to unsatisfactory immune response elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection.