Brief Psychotic Disorder during COVID-19 Infection: Marked Stressor or Neuropsychiatric Symptoms?

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 virus outbreak appeared in December 2019 and was announced as pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020. Recent cases of reactive psychosis in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic have been reported. However, there was reduced interest attributed to cases of acute psychosis affecting patients with COVID-19. In here, we present a clinical case of a female patient who showed a brief psychotic disorder during a symptomatic infection with COVID-19. Methods: We discuss the differential diagnosis of brief psychotic disorder with marked stressor and neuropsychiatric symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Although the stress factor appeared to be linked to the acute psychosis onset in our COVID-19 positive patient, the diagnosis of a psychotic disorder due to the viral coronavirus infection is worthing to be reported and discussed. Results and Conclusion: The stress factor appears to be linked to the onset of acute psychosis in this COVID-19 positive patient, the diagnosis of a psychotic disorder due to the viral coronavirus infection is worth to be mentioned. Thus, we suggest that a new psychosis case associated with COVID-19 infection due to potential immune-mediated neuropathogenesis that would justify further investigation. Through this case report, we highlight the need for vigilant monitoring of neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with COVID-19 infections.