Unusual viral causes of transverse myelitis: hepatitis A virus and cytomegalovirus

Twenty to 40% of cases of acute transverse myelitis are attributed to viral infections, although the specific viral etiology is only rarely identified. We studied two patients with transverse myelitis in association with acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and acute primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. This is the first well-documented report of an association between HAV infection and transverse myelitis, and only the fourth documented case of transverse myelitis in association with CMV infection in an immunocompetent adult. Both viruses should be considered as rare causes of transverse myelitis in immunologically normal adults.