Emerg Infect Dis

There are few detailed investigations of neurologic complications in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. We describe 3 patients with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease who had encephalopathy and encephalitis develop. Neuroimaging showed nonenhancing unilateral, bilateral, and midline changes not readily attributable to vascular causes. All 3 patients had increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of anti-S1 IgM. One patient who died also had increased levels of anti-envelope protein IgM. CSF analysis also showed markedly increased levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10, but severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was not identified in any CSF sample. These changes provide evidence of CSF periinfectious/postinfectious inflammatory changes during coronavirus disease with neurologic complications.K23 AI134182/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United StatesP30 AI050409/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United StatesR01 MH116695/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United StatesR01 AG054046/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United StatesR01 AG054491/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United StatesR01 AG066203/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States32487282PMC7454059826