A study by researchers at University College London (UCL)described 43 cases of patients with COVID-19 who suffered either temporary brain dysfunction, strokes, nerve damage or other serious brain effects.

Fifteen children (13.1% of those discharged with a diagnosis of influenza infection in the study period), had influenza-associated central nervous system (CNS) manifestations. Eight patients (53.3%) were diagnosed as influenza encephalitis, 7 (46.7%) as influenza encephalopathy. Median age was 27 months. In children under 2 years of age (40% of all cases) altered consciousness was the most frequent neurological manifestation while respiratory symptoms were present at admission in all cases. Younger children also required intensive care support more frequently. Five subjects (33.3%) presented comorbidity.

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Introduction

Neurological complications of influenza virus infection are a rare but well-known cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adults worldwide, and their incidence appears to have increased after the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus pandemic (Glaser et al., 2012; Gu et al., 2013; Hjalmarsson et al., 2009). Influenza-associated encephalopathy/encephalitis (IAE) is a neurological condition associated with influenza virus infection. The diagnosis is difficult because there is no uniform clinical presentation, influenza virus is rarely detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and may no longer be detectable in respiratory samples when the patient presents with neurological symptoms. Furthermore, validated diagnostic criteria for this condition in adults are lacking. Thus, extensive clinical tests are needed to exclude other causes of encephalopathy, before the presumptive diagnosis of IAE is made.