Frontiers in Medicine (Mar 2021)

Case Report: A Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Teenager With Angelman Syndrome

  • Alessandra G. D. Lopes,
  • Camila S. H. Celestino,
  • Tiago T. A. Barros,
  • Tiago T. A. Barros,
  • Aline G. Fevereiro,
  • Debora H. Gejer,
  • Fernando M. F. Oliveira,
  • Jamile M. Brasil,
  • Rosely M. Bossolan,
  • Gabriela C. C. Pinto,
  • Ana C. E. Z. Santos,
  • Luis A. Divan,
  • Ingrid A. B. Alves,
  • Danielle B. L. Oliveira,
  • Danielle B. L. Oliveira,
  • Rafael R. G. Machado,
  • Luciano M. Thomazelli,
  • Meire I. Hiyane,
  • Leonília Brelaz-Abreu,
  • Elayne Bragança-Jardim,
  • Letícia B. S. Heinen,
  • Anna C. M. Barrientos,
  • Luciana B. Mau,
  • Niels O. S. Camara,
  • Daniela F. Bueno,
  • Daniela F. Bueno,
  • Mariane T. Amano

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.629112
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

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Teenagers generally present mild to no symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In the present report, we present the case of a 14-year-old boy with Angelman syndrome (AS) who presented with severe COVID-19 symptoms. He spent 20 days in the ICU with elevated inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein and D-dimer) and increased peaks of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, which is uncommon for teenagers diagnosed with COVID-19. Although he showed physiological instability, he was able to produce neutralizing antibodies, suggesting a functional immune response. The literature concerning the immune response to infections in patients with AS is still poor, and to our knowledge, this was the first report of a patient with AS diagnosed with COVID-19. As such, the present study may alert other patients with AS or other rare diseases that they lack a competent immune response and could suffer severe consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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