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Table 4 Pulmonary pathology of COVID-19, SARS, and MERS

From: From SARS and MERS to COVID-19: a brief summary and comparison of severe acute respiratory infections caused by three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses

 

COVID-19[144,145,146,147,148,149]

SARS[55, 150,151,152,153,154]

MERS [13, 155,156,157,158]

Gross examination

Diffuse congestions with partly hemorrhagic necrosis

Edematous lungs with diffuse congestion, enlarge pulmonary hila lymph nodes, irregular and patchy consolidation areas

Edematous lungs with consolidation

Microscopic manifestation

Main abnormalities: 1. Early-stage: exudative DAD without hyaline membrane formation; 2. Advanced-stage: DAD with hyaline membrane formation;

Others: pleural effusion and adhesion, mucous plugs formation, macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes infiltration; microvascular injury (microthrombi)

Main abnormalities: 1. Acute-period: acute exudative DAD (extensive edema and hyaline membrane formation, alveolar epithelial cells impairment, alveoli collapse, and fibrous tissue in alveolar spaces); 2. Progress-period: Combination of acute exudative DAD and proliferative DAD (fibrinous interstitial and airspace and hyperplastic pneumocytes);

Others: intravascular microthrombi

Main abnormalities: Acute exudative DAD with focal hemorrhagic necrotizing pneumonia (dispersed necrotic debris);

Others: NA

Superinfection

Bacteria

Bacteria, fungi, viruses

NA

  1. NA not available