Ischemic Lesions in the Brain of a Neonate With SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Brum, Andrea C; Glasman, M Patricia; De Luca, M Cristina; Rugilo, Carlos A; Urquizu Handal, M Inés; Picon, Armando O; Cook, Cristina; Vain, Nestor E

AIM: To describe a term newborn with acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and multisystem involvement including seizures associated to ischemic lesions in the brain. BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is predominantly a respiratory infection, but it may affect many other systems. Most pediatric COVID-19 cases range from asymptomatic to mild-moderate disease. There are no specific clinical signs described for neonatal COVID-19 infections. In children, severe central nervous system compromise has been rarely reported. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe a 17-day-old newborn who acquired a SARS-CoV-2 infection in a family meeting that was admitted for fever, seizures and lethargy and in whom consumption coagulopathy, ischemic lesions in the brain and cardiac involvement were documented. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 neonatal infection can be associated with multi-organic involvement. In our patient, significant central nervous system compromise associated to ischemic lesions and laboratory findings of consumption coagulopathy were found. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Although neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infections are infrequent, they can be associated with multi-organic involvement. Neonatologists and pediatricians should be aware of this unusual way of presentation of COVID-19 in newborn infants.