Post-polio syndrome induced by Long Covid?

Abstract

Introduction:  A disease known as post-polio syndrome (PPS) develops 30 to 40 years after an individual has been acutely infected with the paralytic and non-paralytic poliovirus. The most recognizable symptoms are the gradual development of muscle atrophy and wasting accompanied by joint and muscle discomfort. Long covid is a syndrome of persistent symptoms of COVID-19 and is challenging to diagnose, but it is believed to appear three to twelve weeks after infection. Notably, there still needs to be a confirmed correlation between COVID-19 and PPS, hence the importance of this report. Case report: CRC, 58 years old, female, history of Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis at age 4. The disease affected all four limbs, with several surgical interventions on the spine, in addition to 3 tendon transpositions. In 2021, after acute infection with Sars-Cov-2, she began a clinical condition marked by alopecia, dyspnea on medium exertion, and new paresis in the upper and lower limbs and trunk. She had initially been diagnosed with Long Covid, but after a neurological examination, she found signs and symptoms consistent with Post-Polio Syndrome. Conclusion: This case report highlights the complex need for understanding and further studies of the possible relationship between PPS and Long Covid. In addition, patients need rehabilitation to regain independence after diagnosis of PPS after Sars-Cov 2 infection.