Acute Transverse Myelitis Secondary to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): A Case Report

Respiratory viral illnesses are associated with diverse neurological complications, including acute transverse myelitis (ATM). Among the respiratory viral pathogens, the Coronaviridae family and its genera coronaviruses have been implicated as having neurotropic and neuroinvasive capabilities in human hosts. Despite previous strains of coronaviruses exhibiting neurotropic and neuroinvasive capabilities, little is known about the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its involvement with the central nervous system (CNS). The current pandemic has highlighted the diverse clinical presentation of SARS-CoV-2 including a possible link to CNS manifestation with disease processes such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and cerebrovascular disease. It is critical to shed light on the varied neurological manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 to ensure clinicians do not overlook at-risk patient populations and are able to provide targeted therapies appropriately.

While there are currently no published reports on post-infectious ATM secondary to SARS-CoV-2, there is one report of parainfectious ATM attributed to SARS-CoV-2 in pre-print. Here, we present a case of infectious ATM attributed to SARS-CoV-2 in a 24-year-old male who presented with bilateral lower-extremity weakness and overflow urinary incontinence after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed non-enhancing T2-weighted hyperintense signal abnormalities spanning from the seventh through the twelfth thoracic level consistent with acute myelitis.

The patient underwent further workup and treatment with intravenous corticosteroids with improvement of symptoms and a discharge diagnosis of ATM secondary to SARS-CoV-2.