RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Acute Hemorrhagic Encephalitis Related to COVID-19
JF Neurology: Clinical Practice
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP e147
OP e151
DO 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000900
VO 11
IS 2
A1 Alan Chalil
A1 Carmen S. Baker
A1 Robert B. Johnston
A1 Caroline Just
A1 Derek B. Debicki
A1 Michael S. Mayich
A1 Karen J. Bosma
A1 David A. Steven
YR 2021
UL http://cp.neurology.org/content/11/2/e147.abstract
AB Purpose of Review The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the most critical public health challenge in recent history. In this report, we present a case of suspected acute hemorrhagic encephalitis with bilateral intracranial hemorrhages associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.Recent Findings A 48-year-old female COVID-19–positive patient developed acute changes in her neurologic status. A head CT with CT angiography demonstrated extensive bilateral parietal and occipital intraparenchymal hemorrhage with intraventricular extension and acute hydrocephalus. The patient was treated with an external ventricular drain, and a CSF sample was tested for SARS-CoV-2 but was found to be negative.Summary The underlying mechanism for developing acute hemorrhagic encephalitis in viral illnesses may be autoimmune in nature and warrants further investigation. The initial neurologic presentation of COVID-19–related hemorrhagic encephalitis is altered level of consciousness, which may prompt further neurologic examination and imaging to exclude this feature.