Enterovirus-Human-Rhinovirus Infection Leading to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Case Report

Enterovirus-human-rhinovirus (EV-HRV) is best known to cause the “common cold” and asthma exacerbations. Simple bronchitis and community-acquired pneumonia related to EV-HRV are also well documented. Scattered reports of rhinovirus causing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have been published, yet the causality between recent SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and severe ARDS secondary to EV-HRV has not been well defined. This case presents a 67-year-old male who was unvaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 with a past medical history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who recently experienced a mild-to-moderate case of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, which was treated with dexamethasone and remdesivir. He was discharged to an inpatient psychiatric facility on as-needed oxygen via nasal cannula. Three weeks later, he experienced an episode of presyncope and was readmitted to the hospital. He then began to require increasing levels of supplemental oxygen via a high-flow nasal cannula. A real-time polymerase chain reaction respiratory pathogen panel was positive for EV-HRV. Computed tomography of the chest revealed extensive ground-glass opacities. Further workup for bacterial and fungal pneumonia was negative. Repeat SARS-CoV-2 testing was also negative. He required several days of supplemental oxygen via a high-flow nasal cannula. He received a short course of broad-spectrum antibiotics and a 10-day course of high-dose dexamethasone. Ultimately, he fully recovered, did not require further supplemental oxygen, and was discharged on room air.