{Reference Type}: Case Reports
{Title}: Refractory Depression With Persistent Sore Throat and Hypochondriacal Delusion of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Study.
{Author}: Hayasaki G;Terao T;Hirakawa H;Muronaga M;Kohno K;
{Journal}: J Nerv Ment Dis
{Volume}: 211
{Issue}: 12
{Year}: 2023 12 1
{Factor}: 1.899
{DOI}: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001666
{Abstract}: Herein, we present a case of a female patient with a persistent sore throat, which preceded a hypochondriacal delusion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Both the sore throat and hypochondriacal delusion persisted together, despite the repeatedly negative results of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 and a moderate improvement in her depression. Four possibilities for the patient's sore throat were discussed: pain symptoms of somatic symptom disorder, pain symptoms of depression, delusion of pain in her throat, and somatic hallucination as a sore throat. Consequently, somatic hallucinations were considered the most likely. In any case, the present findings suggest that sore throat can precede hypochondriacal delusion of SARS-CoV-2 infection in some noninfected patients. When patients continue to complain of a sore throat despite the negative results of SARS-CoV-2 by the RT-PCR test, we should consider that it might be a somatic hallucination and soon hypochondriacal delusions may occur, leading to the manifestation of other symptoms of psychiatric disorders, such as depression, which may be refractory and/or suicidal.