Central nervous system involvement by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)

J Med Virol. 2020 Jul;92(7):699-702. doi: 10.1002/jmv.25915.

Abstract

Neurologic sequelae can be devastating complications of respiratory viral infections. We report the presence of virus in neural and capillary endothelial cells in frontal lobe tissue obtained at postmortem examination from a patient infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our observations of virus in neural tissue, in conjunction with clinical correlates of worsening neurologic symptoms, pave the way to a closer understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying central nervous system involvement by SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: CNS infection; SARS-CoV-2; endothelium; neuroinvasion; neurotropism.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Ageusia / complications
  • Ageusia / diagnosis*
  • Ageusia / physiopathology
  • Ageusia / virology
  • Ataxia / complications
  • Ataxia / diagnosis*
  • Ataxia / physiopathology
  • Ataxia / virology
  • Betacoronavirus / genetics
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Endothelial Cells / pathology
  • Endothelial Cells / virology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Frontal Lobe / blood supply
  • Frontal Lobe / pathology
  • Frontal Lobe / virology
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Lung / blood supply
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / virology
  • Male
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Neurons / virology
  • Olfaction Disorders / complications
  • Olfaction Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Olfaction Disorders / physiopathology
  • Olfaction Disorders / virology
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / physiopathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Seizures / complications
  • Seizures / diagnosis*
  • Seizures / physiopathology
  • Seizures / virology

Substances

  • RNA, Viral