Mild Encephalitis with Reversible Splenial Lesion Associated with COVID-19

Abstract

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging pandemic disease with high morbidity and mortality. The area primarily affected in COVID-19 is the pulmonary system, where the most destructive effect occurs. Symptoms range from asymptomatic illness to mild-to-moderate (mild pneumonia), severe (dyspnea, hypoxia), and critical illness symptoms (acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory failure, shock, or multiorgan system dysfunction) in patients with COVID-19. Neurological manifestations, such as acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, conscious disturbance, febrile seizures, convulsions, mental status change, and encephalitis are observed in severe patients. Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with reversible splenial (MERS) lesions is a clinicoradiological diagnosis that is associated with a prominent reversible lesion in the corpus callosum (SCC) splenium, infectious agent, and mild encephalopathy. In this case report, the key clinical and radiological features of MERS were highlighted in an adult patient presented to the emergency department with nausea, vomiting, and unconsciousness and admitted to the neurology clinic due to diffusion restriction in the SCC splenium.

Keywords

• coronavirus
• encephalitis
• encephalopathy
• reversible corpus callosum splenium lesion