Vestibular neuronitis in a child with coronavirus disease 2019 infection and review of the literature.

Abstract

This article presents the case of an adolescent with asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 infection who had vestibular neuronitis symptoms. The new coronavirus disease 2019 demonstrates neurotropic properties, apart from airway symptoms. Early in the pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 infection had been associated with olfactory disturbances. Accumulative evidence supports that both the infection with coronavirus disease 2019 and the vaccination against the virus may induce a condition of vestibular hypofunction, known as vestibular neuronitis. Coronavirus disease 2019 may directly affect the vestibular organs and ganglia, or indirectly damage them via immune-mediated mechanisms. In most cases, complete recovery is achieved with the typical therapeutic approaches for vestibular neuronitis, consisting of supportive measures and corticosteroids. Physicians may expect an increased incidence of vestibular neuronitis during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Conversely, coronavirus disease 2019 infection should be considered in patients with sudden vestibular symptoms.