Autopsy in suspected COVID-19 cases. Issue 5 (20th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hanley, Brian; Lucas, Sebastian B; Youd, Esther; Swift, Benjamin; Osborn, Michael
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical pathology. Volume 73:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 239
• Page End: 242
• Publication Date: 2020-03-20
• Subjects: autopsy pathology -- lung -- virus -- safety -- diagnosis; Pathology -- Periodicals; Pathology, Molecular -- Periodicals; 616.0705
• DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2020-206522
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9746

Abstract

Abstract : The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus-2 (CoV-2) outbreak in Wuhan, China has now spread to many countries across the world including the UK with an increasing death toll. This will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related deaths at autopsy. The Royal College of Pathologists has responded to this concern with the release of a briefing on autopsy practice relating to COVID-19. The following article is a summary and interpretation of these guidelines. It includes a description of hazard group 3 organisms, the category to which SARS-CoV-2 has been assigned, a brief description of what is currently known about the pathological and autopsy findings in COVID-19, a summary of the recommendations for conducting autopsies in suspected COVID-19 cases and the techniques for making the diagnosis at autopsy. It concludes by considering the clinicopathological correlation and notification of such cases.