Table 2. Histopathologic features and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 detection in respiratory tissues from 8 coronavirus disease fatalities*.
| Patient no. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum symptom duration, d | 13 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 7 |
| Tracheobronchitis |
++ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
++ |
+ |
| DAD, acute | + | + | ++ | ++ | – | – | – | +++ |
| DAD, organizing |
+++ |
+ |
++ |
++ |
+ |
+ |
– |
+++ |
| Squamous metaplasia | + | – | – | + | – | – | – | + |
| Atypical pneumocytes | +++ | – | – | + | – | – | – | + |
| Interstitial pneumonitis | + | – | – | + | – | ++ | – | + |
| Bronchopneumonia | – | – | + | + | + | – | +++ | – |
| Intravascular leukocytosis | – | – | + | + | + | – | – | – |
| Anthracosis |
+ |
+ |
+ |
++ |
++ |
++ |
+ |
++ |
| Other lung pathology |
– |
HLM |
Hemorrhage, emphysema, MA |
HLM, MA |
HLM, MA |
Hemorrhage, corpora amylacea |
Hemorrhage, HLM, microthrombi |
Hemorrhage, emphysema |
| SARS-CoV-2 IHC, upper airway | – | – | – | – | ** | ** | * | * |
| SARS-CoV-2 IHC, lung |
– |
+ |
+++ |
+++ |
+++ |
+ |
++ |
++ |
| Electron microscopy, viral particles | NA | NA | + | + | + | + | NA | NA |
| Other agents detected | Influenza B | – | – | Streptococcus spp. | PI-3 | Streptococcus spp. | PI-3 | Streptococcus spp. |
*DAD, diffuse alveolar damage; HLM, hemosiderin-laden macrophages; IHC, immunohistochemistry; MA, mucus aspiration; NA, not available; PI, parainfluenza; – , not present or negative; +, mild; ++, moderate; +++, extensive.