HIV and COVID 19 Coinfection: Case Series Report

Abstract

Honduras reported two first cases of coronavirus disease (COVID19) on March 11, 2020, currently reporting a total of 46,365 confirmed cases with 1,465 deaths that estimate a fatality rate of 3.16%, which is why it has been questioned whether the infection by Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) increases the risk of contagion and severity of COVID-19 due to its risk of immunosuppression. The present study included 6 HIV patients coinfected with COVID-19 treated at the Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas National Hospital (HNMCR) from the onset of the pandemic in March to July 2020. All patients were coded as P1 to P6. Patients received antiretroviral treatment, 4 of them in critical condition with severe hypoxia that required ventilatory support and died (P2, P3, P5, P6). One patient (P1) in stable condition was discharged after 7 days of hospital stay. One patient (P4) was asymptomatic. Scientific evidence is still scant on the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in patients with HIV. HIV-infected people are not protected from SARS-CoV-2 infection or have a lower risk of severe disease, and generally should receive the same treatment approach applied to the general population. The present work is limited to the description of a series of cases, so it cannot be generalized in all patients with HIV, however, it is intended to contribute to understanding coinfection.