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003 A case of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant associated acute encephalomyelitis
  1. Michelle Dsouza,
  2. Nicole Lichtblau,
  3. Sarah Siddiqui,
  4. Sreedharan Harikrishnan,
  5. Nidal Abukhayzaran,
  6. Samuel Moses,
  7. Kristina Lauckaite
  1. East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust

Abstract

With the ongoing pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 many neurological complications in relation to COVID-19 infection as well as immune-mediated and vaccine-associated phenomena have been described. To our knowledge, there has been no publication of a case of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant associated acute encephalomyelitis.

We present a case of a 73-year-old woman with no relevant background history who is otherwise fit and well and fully vaccinated. She suffered from mild COVID symptoms and had a positive PCR test with presumptive Omicron variant on day 2. Five days into her respiratory illness she developed in quick suc- cession sensory disturbances of hands and feet, bilateral asymmetric flaccid leg weakness, and mild arm weakness. She had absent deep tendon reflexes in the legs and diminished deep tendon reflexes in the right arm. MRI of brain and spine showed signal changes in the brainstem, cervical and low thoracic cord in keeping with acute encephalomyelitis. Her CSF showed an inflammatory picture with raised protein of 1.27g/L and no cells. At the time of abstract submission, the patient received treatment with five days of intravenous steroids followed by ongoing plasma exchange and no comment on treatment response can be made at this stage.

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