Transverse myelitis associated with mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

A case of transverse myelitis complicating mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is described. Six other serologically proven cases have been reported in the literature. The relevant literature is reviewed and the possible pathogenesis discussed. An immunologically mediated reaction is thought to explain this complication.     

Acute transverse myelitis after COVID-19 pneumonia

Journal of Neurology -     

Transverse myelitis associated with herpes simplex virus infection.

The case of an otherwise healthy 6-year-old boy with symptoms and signs of acute transverse myelitis is presented. The diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. An episode of gingivostomatitis had preceded, and serology indicated herpes simplex virus type 1 infection. The child recovered gradually, and no relapses were noted during a 30-month follow-up period.     

Eosinophilic pleocytosis and myelitis related to Toxocara canis infection

Toxocara canis causes the visceral larva migrans syndrome in which central nervous involvement is rare. We report the case of a 40-year-old woman presenting with a subacute weakness of the right leg and dysaesthesiae in the right Th8-Th10 dermatomas. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging examination showed abnormal hyperintensity within the spinal cord. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed eosinophilic pleocytosis. Antibody titres to Toxocara canis were higher in the cerebrospinal fluid than in the serum. Treatment using mebendazole led to a complete clinical recovery, normalization of cerebrospinal fluid parameters and improvement in spinal magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities.     

Frontal encephalopathy related to hyperinflammation in COVID-19

Journal of Neurology -     

Transverse myelitis following spinal anesthesia

Spinal anesthesia is widely used during surgical procedures. It is generally safe and the frequency of severe, permanent neurological complications associated with it has been reported to be extremely low. We report a patient, who developed paraplegia following spinal anesthesia. A 29-year-old male was referred with acute, flaccid, sensory motor paraplegia, with bladder and bowel involvement. He developed this immediately after an operation for inguinal hernia under spinal anesthesia. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed hemorrhagic myelitis in the conus at D12. He was referred after he did not respond to intravenous methylprednisolone for 10 days. This case brings up the difficulty encountered in determination of the interspace used for spinal anesthesia and the potential for traumatic injury to the spinal cord. It also demonstrates the tragic outcome after a clinician violates some important, standard and established guidelines.     

Transverse myelitis in systemic sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Neurological involvement occurs rarely with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Only a few cases of transverse myelopathy have been reported in the setting of SSc. OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient with SSc who developed transverse myelitis that improved during a course of immunosuppression. RESULTS: A 30-year-old woman with SSc presented with subacute onset of bilateral lower extremity weakness and numbness. Results of magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid studies supported a diagnosis of transverse myelitis. The patient responded favorably to a course of corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide. No overlapping autoimmune disorders were evident. Clinical follow-up showed significant recovery, with resolution of radiological abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Transverse myelitis can occur as a rare manifestation of SSc and may respond favorably to immunosuppressive therapy.     

Transverse myelitis with systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Zusammenfassung Eine 17jährige Patientin, welche seit 4 Jahren einen erwiesenen systemischen Lupus Erythematosus hatte, wurde wegen nephritischen Erscheinungen aufgenommen. Während einer Behandlung mit Corticosteroiden wurde in der dritten Woche eine akute Querschnittsmyelitis diagnostiziert.Trotz Erhöhung der Corticosteroiddosen verschied die Patientin 48 Std nach Auftreten der ersten myelitischen Symptome.     

Transverse myelitis due to trypanosomiasis in a middle aged Tanzanian man

We report the case of a middle aged Tanzanian man who developed a spinal cord syndrome over 6 weeks, along with a mild encephalopathy. Investigations ruled out the usual major causes of such a syndrome in our setting in northern Tanzania. Examination of his cerebrospinal fluid revealed trypanosomes, and he made a slow but dramatic improvement after a full course of suramine and melarsoprol. We postulate that he had a transverse myelitis due to African trypanosomiasis, a rare and barely recognised cause.     

Transverse myelitis after therapy for primitive neuroectodermal tumors

Traditional therapy for malignant primitive neuroectodermal tumors in children includes surgery, multi-agent chemotherapy, and radiation. Given the poor prognosis with conventional therapy alone, newer treatment approaches have incorporated high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell rescue. Treatment with chemotherapy and radiation is not without unanticipated and unwanted side effects. Specifically, radiation-induced damage to the central nervous system can occur, though the frequency is thought to be acceptably low. This report describes two cases of treatment-related transverse myelitis in patients who received induction chemotherapy and craniospinal irradiation followed by high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue. Other patients treated with a similar strategy but different sequence and timing of treatment did not experience symptoms of myelitis, suggesting that the specific timing of radiation in relationship to the chemotherapy may be of critical importance.     

Extensive longitudinal myelitis due to cytomegalovirus infection

Journal of NeuroVirology - Neurological cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections especially extensive longitudinal myelitis are extremely rare in immunocompetent adults. However, we hereby report a case of...     

A rare case of acute motor axonal neuropathy and myelitis related to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Journal of Neurology - We describe a rare case of post-infective Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (AMAN) variant of Guillain-Barrè Syndrome (GBS) associated with myelitis and anti-GD1b positivity...     

Anti-GAD associated post-infectious cerebellitis after COVID-19 infection

Neurological Sciences - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread rapidly all over the world....