CDC Reports Spike in Rare Pediatric Brain Infections During Winter 2022

Cases of rare brain abscesses in children under 18 years old spiked in the US as COVID-19 restrictions eased, according to two studies published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The infections, which can be life-threatening, occur when bacteria, viruses, or fungi enter the brain and an encapsulated area forms around the germs and pus. The wave of cases is another example of wonky disease patterns in the wake of responses to the COVID-19 crisis, with the onset of the pandemic leading to below-baseline levels of pediatric brain abscesses between May 2020 to May 2021, followed by a surge in cases above the baseline between August 2021 to March 2023.