Cerebral White Matter Injury in a Newborn Infant With COVID-19: A Case Report

Abstract

Because the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, reports of neurologic manifestations and neuroimaging associated with SARS-CoV-2 have been reported in children and in neonates, although very few when compared with adults.ObjectivesTo describe a 3-day-old neonate presenting afebrile seizures with a persistent positive nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 and neuroimaging demonstrating extensive cerebral white matter injury.MethodsConsent was obtained to report this case. SARS-CoV-2 was tested using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction amplification of virus acid from a nasopharyngeal swab. MRI of the brain was performed using axial T1, T2, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, diffusion-weighted imaging, and T1 postcontrast sequences.ResultsBrain MRI showed restricted diffusion in the periventricular white matter, subcortical white matter, and splenium of the corpus callosum.DiscussionNeurologic presentation of SARS-CoV-2 in newborns seems to be rare and is not fully known. SARS-CoV-2 infection should be considered in newborns with seizures and white matter abnormalities.