A clinical case of a lesion of the central nervous system associated with a new coronavirus infection COVID-19: problems of diagnosis and examination of the connection with the profession of a medical worker

A novel coronavirus infection in medical workers can be considered as an occupational disease if the infection occurred while they were performing their official duties. One of the most important complications of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is damage to the nervous system.

From the point of view of pathogenesis, neurological disorders in COVID-19 can be caused by a "cytokine storm", hypoxemia, homeostasis disorders (encephalopathy of critical conditions), neurotropy and neurovirulence of SARS-CoV-2 (isolated cranial nerve damage, focal and diffuse CNS lesions), as well as mixed effects of these factors. COVID-19 also affects the course of chronic neurological diseases.

The spectrum of neurological disorders in COVID-19 is wide: from cranial mononeuropathies, clinically manifested by anosmia, ageusia/dysgeusia to acute inflammatory polyneuropathy of Guillain–Barre and severe lesions of the brain and spinal cord in the form of acute hemorrhagic necrotizing encephalopathy and myelopathy.

The presented clinical case describes one of the possible serious complications of COVID-19 – encephalopathy. The article presents the principles and results of a medical examination conducted in order to establish a causal relationship of the disease with professional activity. The need for a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis of manifestations, treatment of COVID 19 and its complications with the mandatory participation of a neurologist is emphasized.

It is obvious that the COVID-19 pandemic will have significant consequences in the context of immediate and long-term neurological complications.