Acute epiglottitis is a rare clinical presentation of coronavirus disease 2019: a case report

Abstract

Background

In humans, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a variable presentation ranging from mild self-limiting respiratory tract infections to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Methods: We present the case of a patient who developed acute epiglottitis after surgery for an intracranial tumour and was subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19.

Results

A 58-year-old female patient developed acute-onset respiratory distress on day 6 after intracranial surgery. Neck computed tomography revealed near-total airway obstruction due to severe edoema of the epiglottis and periepiglottis. The patient’s SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test was positive. Viral respiratory tract panel and sputum and blood cultures were negative. She completed the antiviral and antibacterial treatment regimens recommended by the chest disease department.

Conclusions

We conclude that epiglottitis can be an unusual manifestation of COVID-19.

Keywords:

• Acute epiglottitis
• COVID-19
• coronavirus

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.