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Infectious etiologies of myelopathy

Emily L Ho1

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Wahington 98104-2499, USA. hoel@u.washington.edu

Seminars in Neurology
|September 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Infectious agents can cause myelopathy, a spinal cord disorder, through direct infection, autoimmune responses, or compression. This review highlights key pathogens relevant to North American clinicians.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Spinal Cord Medicine

Background:

  • Myelopathy is a spinal cord disorder characterized by motor and/or sensory deficits.
  • Infectious agents are a significant cause of myelopathy.
  • Pathogenic mechanisms include direct neural infection, parainfectious autoimmune processes, and spinal cord compression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the infectious causes of myelopathy.
  • To focus on pathogens most relevant to clinicians in North America.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of infectious causes of myelopathy.
  • Focus on pathogens prevalent in North America.

Main Results:

  • Categorization of infectious myelopathy based on pathogenic mechanisms: direct infection, parainfectious, and compressive.
  • Identification of key North American pathogens causing these myelopathies.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the diverse infectious etiologies of myelopathy is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.
  • Clinicians in North America should be aware of specific pathogens causing direct, parainfectious, and compressive myelopathies.

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