Patients with COVID-19 and neurological manifestations show undetectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in the cerebrospinal fluid
Otávio de Melo Espíndola, Marilda Mendonça Siqueira, Cristiane Soares, Marco Antônio Lima, Ana Claúdia Celestino Bezerra Leite, Abelardo Araújo, Carlos Otávio Brandão, Marcus Tulius T. Silva
Abstract
We report that patients with COVID-19 displaying distinct neurological disorders have undetectable or extremely low levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the cerebrospinal fluid, indicating that viral clearance precede the neurological involvement. This finding points to the need for the development of more sensitive molecular tests and the investigation of other neurotropic pathogens to exclude concurrent neuroinfection.
Topics & Concepts
Cerebrospinal fluidCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)VirologyMedicine2019-20 coronavirus outbreakRNAPathologyBiologyGeneticsOutbreakGeneInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseaseLong-Term Effects of COVID-19COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesMultiple Sclerosis Research Studies