Benign Cerebral Edema and Increased Intracranial Pressure (ICP) as Manifestations of COVID-19 Reinfection; A Case Report

Abstract

Reinfection with COVID-19 is of great importance since it can substantially affect the future of disease control and vaccine development. COVID-19 can present with diverse neurological, as well as respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. Here, we present a rare case of COVID-19 reinfection with neurological manifestations. The patient was a healthy 26-year-old male that had experienced first episode of COVID-19 infection with mild respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. In his second episode of infection, he presented to the emergency department with vertigo, vomiting, metamorphopsia, blurred vision, headache, and gate disturbance. Based on the clinical data and imaging studies, the patient was diagnosed with benign cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension. Then, he was treated using intravenous/intramuscular corticosteroids in addition to the supplementary therapies. His symptoms dramatically improved during the next 2 days. No important neurologic or systemic adverse events in response to the treatment were noted. This case reveals that infection with COVID-19, despite positive IgG, does not protect the patient from reinfection. Moreover, COVID-19 reinfection can present with benign cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension, in which case, inflammatory suppression therapy should be considered.