New Mexico's COVID-19 Experience

Authors

Nicole R. Jackson, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Karen Zeigler, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Mary Torrez, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Yohsuke Makino, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Natalie L. Adolphi, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sarah Lathrop, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Lauren Decker, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Lauren Dvorscak, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Lori Proe, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ian D. Paul, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ross Zumwalt, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Heather Jarrell, From the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2021

Abstract

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread worldwide, infiltrating, infecting, and devastating communities in all locations of varying demographics. An overwhelming majority of published literature on the pathologic findings associated with COVID-19 is either from living clinical cohorts or from autopsy findings of those who died in a medical care setting, which can confound pure disease pathology. A relatively low initial infection rate paired with a high biosafety level enabled the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator to conduct full autopsy examinations on suspected COVID-19-related deaths. Full autopsy examination on the first 20 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-positive decedents revealed that some extent of diffuse alveolar damage in every death due to COVID-19 played some role. The average decedent was middle-aged, male, American Indian, and overweight with comorbidities that included diabetes, ethanolism, and atherosclerotic and/or hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Macroscopic thrombotic events were seen in 35% of cases consisting of pulmonary thromboemboli and coronary artery thrombi. In 2 cases, severe bacterial coinfections were seen in the lungs. Those determined to die with but not of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection had unremarkable lung findings.

Recommended Citation

Jackson NR, Zeigler K, Torrez M, Makino Y, Adolphi NL, Lathrop S, Decker L, Dvorscak L, Proe L, Paul ID, Zumwalt R, Jarrell H. New Mexico's COVID-19 Experience. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2021 Mar 1;42(1):1-8. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000664. PMID: 33416234; PMCID: PMC7870043.