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Citation
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Erburu-Iriarte M, Rodrigo-Armenteros P, Oyarzun-Irazu I, Aranzabal-Alustiza I, Silvarrey-Rodriguez S, Antón-Méndez L, García-Moncó JC. Eur. J. Neurol. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Disproportionate fear to contract COVD-19 (coronaphobia) may result in inappropriate use of preventive measures that could, in turn, result in severe damage to the patient.
OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient with subacute parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction and MRI evidence of bilateral deep white matter and basal ganglia damage. Case presentation A 56-year-old female presented with a 4-week history of insomnia, cognitive decline, and parkinsonism. Brain MRI revealed a bilateral lesion of both globus pallidus, deep white matter, and cerebellar hemispheres. Her son informed that, for the previous month, she had been cleaning her facial mask 3 times a day with a pure methanol solution as a disinfectant for an intense fear of acquiring COVID-19. Previously, she had used 97% isopropyl alcohol and inadvertently switched to methanol. After exposure ended, she slowly improved but 4 months later she remains severely disabled.
CONCLUSIONS: The repeated exposure to methanol vapor, the MRI findings and the absence of other aetiologies for her cognitive and parkinsonian features led to the diagnosis of chronic methanol intoxication with severe central nervous system damage. Misinformation is a likely contributory factor to these situations. Efforts should be made by the scientific community to avoid self-damaging behaviours as a result of coronaphobia.
Language: en |