An Unusual Case of Acute Hemorrhagic Necrotizing Encephalomyelitis in a COVID-19 Patient

Cureus. 2021 Jun 9;13(6):e15542. doi: 10.7759/cureus.15542. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, also known as ADEM, is a rare autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that has been correlated with viral infections and vaccinations and has a range of presentations, where it can present as a mild neurological dysfunction or more severe manifestations ending in chronic neurological sequelae or even death; therefore, it is considered to be a diagnostic challenge. We present a case of ADEM diagnosed in a previously healthy male patient with a recent infection of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Early diagnosis and management with intravenous immunoglobulins held the key to a good outcome.

Keywords: acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis; acute hemorrhagic encephalomyelitis; case report; covid-19; sars-cov-2.

Publication types

  • Case Reports