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Showing posts from September, 2023

Olfactory Dysfunction and Hallucinations Following Vaccination

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 A 39-year-old veteran, with a history of tension-type headaches, noticed a burning odor sensation approximately three weeks after receiving the J&J COVID-19 vaccine, about four months prior to his visit to the neurology clinic. Concerned about this peculiar symptom, he underwent a nasal swab antigen COVID-19 test, which returned negative. Initially, the episodes occurred daily, lasting about one hour each time. However, as time passed, they became less frequent, shorter in duration, and less intense. About 11 months post-vaccination, milder episodes occurred only 1 to 2 times weekly. These olfactory hallucinations persisted for nearly two years (21 months post-vaccination), occurring randomly throughout the day and unrelated to any other symptoms.  When the veteran presented to the clinic, both general and neurological examinations yielded unremarkable results. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did reveal chronic sinusitis but showed no other abnormalities. It's importan

Remembering Lives Lost in September

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As the world gradually moves forward from the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reminded that the battle is not yet over.  Otari Gogiberidze (July 14, 1971 - September 8, 2023), a renowned plastic surgeon, faced the grim reality of COVID-19 in February 2023. Little did he know that the virus would cast a long shadow over his life. Battling for months with heart complications stemming from long COVID, his fight came to an end on September 8, 2023, when he succumbed to cardiac arrest at the age of 52. Maria das Dores Braga Nunes  (4 April 1941 – 8 September 2023) was a distinguished Brazilian lawyer and politician. Throughout her career, she was associated with various political parties, and she served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1995 to 1999. Additionally, she held the position of mayor in Gurupi. Tragically, on September 8, 2023, at the age of 82, Maria das Dores Braga Nunes lost her life to COVID-19 in Palmas, Tocantins. Her battle with the virus spanned