Acute Cerebellitis and Myeloradiculitis Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Common Variable Immunodeficiency-A Case Report

Hernan Nicolas Lemus; Miryam Alkayyali; Eonjung Kim; Charlotte Cunnigham-Rundles; Dewitt Pyburn; Rory Abrams

doi:10.1177/19418744211050215

Acute Cerebellitis and Myeloradiculitis Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Common Variable Immunodeficiency-A Case Report

Neurohospitalist. 2022 Apr;12(2):361-365. doi: 10.1177/19418744211050215. Epub 2021 Dec 31.

Authors

Hernan Nicolas Lemus¹, Miryam Alkayyali¹, Eonjung Kim¹, Charlotte Cunnigham-Rundles², Dewitt Pyburn¹, Rory Abrams³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Downtown, New York, NY, USA.
² Department of Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
³ Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai West, New York, NY, USA.

Abstract

The role of the adaptive immune system in mediating COVID-19 is largely unknown. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the clinical course in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), a disease characterized by dysfunctional lymphocytes and impaired antibody production. We report a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection presenting as isolated neurological symptoms in a patient with CVID. The patient subsequently improved following steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and convalescent plasma (CP). The latter has been shown to be safe and efficacious in treating COVID-19 in patients with primary immunodeficiency. Recent data suggest that the mechanism of CNS injury in COVID-19 may be due to immunological dysregulation rather than direct viral-mediated injury. This case exemplifies the complex interaction between the brain, the immune system, and the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Keywords: COVID-19; cerebellar; coronavirus; immunocompromised; radiculopathy.

Publication types

Case Reports