COVID-19 Encephalopathy Presenting As New-Onset Seizure: A Case Report

Abstract

Since its outbreak, it's been well-documented that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can present with wide variety of neurological manifestations in absence of the usual respiratory symptoms. We report one such severe neurological manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of COVID-19 encephalopathy with CSF and MRI findings in the United Arab Emirates. We present a case of a 52-year-old female who presented with complaints of altered mentation, anosmia, headache, dizziness, weakness, lethargy, and vomiting. While in the emergency department she developed two generalized tonic-clonic seizure episodes, a more pronounced delirium, and tachypnea which required intubation. She was then admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). She was COVID-19 positive and subsequent MRI revealed encephalopathy. She was discharged from ICU and was under long-term care at the time of case documentation.