{"doi":"10.1016/j.ijid.2021.06.013","title":"Post-mortem examination of Hospital Inpatient COVID-19 Deaths in Lusaka, Zambia - A Descriptive Whole-body Autopsy Series","abstract":"BACKGROUND: Since information on the pathology of COVID-19 from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains scarce, the objective of our study was to define the gross pathology and histological features of COVID-19. We report data from 29 whole-body autopsies of COVID-19 deaths occurring in hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia - the first large autopsy case series from Africa. METHODS: We performed a descriptive post-mortem examination study of inpatient COVID-19 related deaths at two hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia. Whole-body autopsies were conducted according to Standard Operating Procedures. Gross and histopathological examinations of all organs were performed. Patient demographics, history, co-morbidities, autopsy gross and microscopic findings, and cause(s) of death were recorded and analyzed using STATA version 14. Variables were grouped and presented as frequencies and percentages. FINDINGS: Autopsies were performed on 29 decedents (mean age = 44 ± 15.8years; age range = 19-82; 17/29 [58.8%] males). 22/29 [75.9%] cases were <55 years of age. A spectrum of pathological manifestations of COVID-19 were seen in all organs. The commonest causes of death were pulmonary thromboembolism (13/29, 45%), Diffuse Alveolar Damage (9/29, 31%), and COVID-19 pneumonia (7/29, 25%). 22/29 (76%) had co-morbidities. Common co-morbidities included HIV (8/29, 28%), Hypertension (6/29, 20%) Tuberculosis (3/29, 10%), Diabetes (3/29, 10%). CONCLUSIONS: A spectrum of gross anatomical and histopathological findings are seen in COVID-19 deaths in hospitalized decedents. These appear broadly similar to those reported from China, Europe and USA. Differences include a younger age group, and co-morbidities of HIV and TB co-infection which require further investigation.","journal":"International Journal of Infectious Diseases","year":2021,"id":175496,"datarank":1.0844359889375865,"base_score":3.1354942159291497,"endowment":3.1354942159291497,"self_citation_contribution":0.47032413238937254,"citation_network_contribution":0.6141118565482139,"self_endowment_contribution":0.47032413238937254,"citer_contribution":0.6141118565482139,"corpus_percentile":81.29496402877697,"corpus_rank":2419,"citation_count":22,"citer_count":20,"citers_with_citation_signal":18,"citers_with_endowment":18,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":true,"is_dataset_confidence":0.8691,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2021-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":717359,"name":"Viktor Telendiy","orcid":null,"position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":716640,"name":"Fred Maate","orcid":"0000-0001-6790-3683","position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":717360,"name":"Songwe Mupeta","orcid":null,"position":3,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":716641,"name":"Chitalu Chanda","orcid":"0000-0003-1186-5045","position":4,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":716642,"name":"Duncan Chanda","orcid":"0000-0001-5477-9054","position":5,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":237654,"name":"Peter Julius","orcid":"0000-0002-7187-6101","position":6,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":716643,"name":"Chibamba Mumba","orcid":"0000-0002-0267-5656","position":7,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":716644,"name":"Clemence Marimo","orcid":"0000-0003-0985-3256","position":8,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":716645,"name":"Amos Hamukale","orcid":"0000-0002-9291-0874","position":9,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":717361,"name":"Llyod Mulenga","orcid":null,"position":10,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":494704,"name":"Aaron Shibemba","orcid":null,"position":11,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":85550,"name":"Alimuddin Zumla","orcid":"0000-0002-5111-5735","position":12,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":717362,"name":"Luchenga Adam Mucheleng’anga","orcid":null,"position":13,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":716639,"name":"Cordilia Himwaze","orcid":"0000-0003-3989-0314","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":28,"raw_metadata":null,"created_at":"2026-07-18T23:47:15.431199Z","pmid":"34146690","pmcid":"PMC8215884","fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}