Neurological symptoms as a clinical manifestation of COVID-19: implications for internists

Abstract

lethal and highly pathogenic coronavirus known as SARS -CoV -2 has been reported in China. 5 The first cases of the new coronavirus infection were observed in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. Furthermore, a cluster of cases with a clinical presentation of viral pneumonia was also noted. 6 The assessment of the lower respiratory tract samples confirmed the presence of the novel coronavirus, which was contagious among humans. Terms such as "Wuhan coronavirus" or "the new coronavirus" (2019 -nCoV) were commonly used until January 2020. The official name, ie, SARS -CoV -2, which was based on taxonomic designation, appeared on February 11, 2020. At the same time, World Health Organization termed the disease "COVID -19." 7 The recent pneumonia outbreak was associated with a large animal and seafood market. However, the investigations are ongoing Introduction Coronaviruses represent a large group of positive -strand RNA viruses, genetically classified into 4 major genera, ie, alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and deltacoronaviruses. They mainly cause respiratory and enteric diseases in animals and humans. 1 So far, 6 subtypes of human coronaviruses have been recognized, namely, human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV -NL63), human coronavirus 229E (HCoV -229E), human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV -OC43), human coronavirus HKU1 (HCoV -HKU1), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS -CoV), and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS--CoV). 2 Although human coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s, 3 only the SARS -CoV epidemic in 2003 followed by the MERS -CoV epidemic in 2013 drew the attention of researchers worldwide. 4 While the clinical implications of the MERS -CoV epidemic are still noticeable, another

The course of COVID-19 infection in patients with multiple sclerosis–The experience of one center based on the population of Upper Silesia

“… 1 Neurological manifestations of COVID-19 such as anosmia, ageusia, epileptic seizures or an increased risk of stroke were confirmed. 1 More than 36% of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection presented with neurological symptoms. 10 Anosmia, ageusia and fever were the most prevalent complaints among MS patients.…”

“…It has been proven that SARS-CoV-2 has tropism to the nervous system. 1 Since COVID-19 was a novel disease, no recommendations or treatment strategies for chronic neurological diseases were available at the onset of the pandemic. Management of multiple sclerosis (MS) during the COVID-19 pandemic is of special concern since MS is a chronic demyelinating disease leading to irreversible injury to the brain and spinal cord.…”

COVID-19 Pathophysiology Predicts That Ischemic Stroke Occurrence Is an Expectation, Not an Exception—A Systematic Review

“…It is currently accepted that the SARS-CoV2 virus, like other coronaviruses, attacks host cells by binding to ACE2 ( 12 , 41 – 43 ). Initial virus recognition occurs via the epithelial cells of the olfactory and respiratory tract of the infected person ( 39 , 43 ) and would be expected to immediately activate the innate immune system of individual cells and the associated vascular supply ( 44 ).…”

Neuroinvasion and Encephalitis Following Intranasal Inoculation of SARS-CoV-2 in K18-hACE2 Mice

“…Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in humans can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute lung injury, cytokine storm syndrome and death [ 1 , 2 ]. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection primarily causes respiratory disease, some patients develop symptoms of neurological disease, such as headache, loss of taste and smell, ataxia, meningitis, cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, seizures and impaired consciousness [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. SARS-CoV-2 infection also induces long-term neurological sequelae in at least one-third of human cases.…”