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Updated: May 6, 2026

Induction and Clinical Scoring of Chronic-Relapsing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: July 4, 2007
Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis developed quickly after COVID-19 infection
Daiki Mori1, Takahiro Yamada1, Hiroshi Fukuma1
1Rinku General Medical Center Senshu Trauma and Critical Care Center Osaka Japan.
Background:
Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by impaired consciousness, ophthalmoplegia, and ataxia. We report two cases of BBE following COVID-19.
Case Presentation:
Case 1: A 51-year-old male was diagnosed with COVID-19 4 days after fever. He had prolonged loss of consciousness, and developed ophthalmoplegia and ataxia. He was treated with steroids and immunoglobulin, which improved his consciousness. Case 2: A 28-year-old female was diagnosed with COVID-19 because of fever 4 days after contact with a COVID-19 patient. She suffered from prolonged loss of consciousness, ophthalmoplegia, and myoclonus. She was treated with steroids, immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis, which ameliorated her consciousness.
Conclusion:
Both patients developed central nervous system (CNS) symptoms within a week of COVID-19 onset, indicating that BBE develops immediately after prior infection. This disease should be considered if CNS symptoms appear rapidly after COVID-19.
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