SARS-CoV-2 associated encephalitis
Introduction: In addition to known systemic manifestations, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can cause serious neurological manifestations as a result of damage to the central and peripheral nervous system. Case report: A 62-year-old male with medical history of arterial hypertension and type 2 dia...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/19952 |
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| Summary: | Introduction: In addition to known systemic manifestations, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can cause serious neurological manifestations as a result of damage to the central and peripheral nervous system.
Case report: A 62-year-old male with medical history of arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus was admitted to the hospital, complaining of high fever, fatigue, cough, and disturbed mental state. He was diagnosed with COVID-19, had fever of up to 38 °C 7 days before admission, dry cough, and became disoriented and psychotic after 5 days. The chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) of the head were normal. Following a lumbar puncture, the patient was diagnosed with encephalitis based on clinical and laboratory findings (pleocytosis and hyperproteinorachia in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)). CSF was checked with the polymerase chain reaction meningitis-encephalitis panel which excludes the more common viral or bacterial causes of encephalitis. Anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, gastroprotective, and other symptomatic medications were administered. Ataxic gait was the only focal neurological abnormality identified during neurological assessment. The chest CT did not reveal COVID-19 pneumonia and brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed only cortical reductive brain alterations. The COVID-19 swab test after 10 days was negative. The patient was recovered and released from hospital treatment with normal physical findings and without neurological abnormalities.
Conclusions: The diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) encephalitis can be challenging, and it is usually based on the exclusion of other etiological agents of brain infections.
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| ISSN: | 1972-2680 |