Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a rare autoimmune disease of the CNS that often after viral infections and mainly affecting children. ADEM is characterized by the onset of multifocal neurologic symptoms, encephalopathy, with brain MRI showing demyelinating abnormalities in the acute phase.1 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel entity caused by the pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is characterized by influenza-like symptoms, pneumonia, and in severe cases respiratory insufficiency.2 Many neurologic complications occurring in patients with COVID-19 have been described,3 and it has been hypothesized that, in some cases, SARS-CoV-2 might exhibit a neurotropic behavior.4