Neurologic manifestations of COVID infection

There are 7 corona viruses that can infect humans, of which 3 types have been shown to infect neurons.

A review article published in a medical journal suggested two potential mechanism of COVID infection, by entry through the cells of the sensory system in the roof of the nose, second through the white blood (immune) cells passing into the brain and other parts of the nervous system.

Effect of corona virus infection on the nervous system is emerging, with early reports available from Wuhan China.

Most common symptoms noted were headache which was seen in a third of COVID diagnosed patients, loss of sense of smell, and taste, and some serious conditions observed were where patients consciousness were affected, some had stroke,  increase in fits in those that had history of epilepsy and reports suggestive of brain disease (encephalopathy).

Where headache frequency seemed to affect a clear proportion of COVID diagnosed patients, symptoms of loss of senses of taste or smell varied considerably from 5% to 80% across different European countries and China. It is important to recognise that this feature of the disease is seen in the early part of the infection and is not uncommon to be seen with other viral infections such as influenza virus infection.

More serious nervous system related conditions were seen in hospitalised patients with severe infection which can be managed if identified early on by checking for states of increased inflammation and clotting tendency through blood markers.