Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Between February 28 and March 21 of this year, doctors at three hospitals in northern Italy noted five coronavirus patients who had Guillain-Barre syndrome. This rare disease is associated with different viral infections, and it prompts the immune system to attack healthy nerves. In the April 2020 NEJM report, the main symptoms in the COVID patients were weakness and a burning sensation in the legs, then some facial paralysis, which appeared five to 10 days after other symptoms. Meanwhile, the JAMA Neurology study of 214 patients in Wuhan mentioned earlier, found that 36.4 per cent had neurological symptoms such as dizziness, seizures and nerve pain. Most of the patients had severe disease.
Toxic shock syndrome
There have been reports of children suffering systemic illnesses reminiscent of toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease. Most had tested positive for the coronavirus but some had not. On May 4, the New York City Department of Health issued a bulletin that 15 children in that city had become acutely ill and been hospitalised with similar symptoms, including fever, and asked doctors to be on the alert for more cases. Toxic shock syndrome is caused by bacteria and one of the main symptoms is a sudden fever of 38.8°C or higher. Kawasaki disease is also marked by acute fever, says the CDC.
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Source: RD Canada
