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. 2020 Dec:22:100821.
doi: 10.1016/j.inat.2020.100821. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Encephalitis associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus: A case report

Fenne Vandervorst  1 , Kaat Guldolf  1 , Ilse Peeters  1 , Tim Vanderhasselt  2 , Kathleen Michiels  1 , Kinge Johanna Berends  3 , Johan Van Laethem  4 , Lissa Pipeleers  5 , Stefanie Vincken  6 , Laura Seynaeve  1 , Sebastiaan Engelborghs  1
Affiliations

Encephalitis associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus: A case report

Fenne Vandervorst et al. Interdiscip Neurosurg. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) usually causes fever, respiratory symptoms, malaise and myalgia. Recent observations suggested possible neurological complications of COVID-19, including the first report of suspected viral encephalitis. We report a case of a 29-year-old male with -on nasopharyngeal testing- confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection with severe respiratory symptoms, followed by clinical and radiological signs of encephalitis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed an asymmetric FLAIR-hyperintensity of the left medial temporal cortex associated with mild gyral expansion. Lumbar puncture was normal and PCR's for SARS-CoV-2 virus on CSF were negative. Clinicians treating SARS-CoV-2 infected patients should be aware of possible neurological complications, like encephalitis. The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 encephalitis is difficult as CSF analysis may be normal.

Keywords: COVID-19; Encephalitis; Hydroxychloroquine; Neurological complications; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
BRAIN MRI. First brain MRI (panel A) showing asymmetric FLAIR-hyperintensity of the left medial temporal cortex associated with mild gyral expansion. Second brain MRI (panel B) with complete resolution of cortical hyperintensity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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