When the virus hits suddenly: COVID-19 mimicking a subarachnoid haemorrhage—a case report and concise review of the literature
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Martha Pretorius; Immo Weichert
- Source
- Oxford Medical Case Reports
- Subject
- Infectious Diseases
omcrep/1300
Parasitology
Case Report
AcademicSubjects/MED00010
omcrep/1200
Microbiology
omcrep/2200
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2053-8855
We report a clinical case, where COVID-19 presented with a thunderclap headache and collapse, but no fever or respiratory symptoms on initial presentation. The patient was worked up for a possible spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), but had a normal CT brain and normal lumbar puncture and then very rapidly deteriorated with worsening respiratory failure and COVID-19 pneumonitis. We discuss the current evidence of neurological involvement by SARS-COV-2 and the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these presentations.