Acute autoimmune transverse myelitis following COVID-19 vaccination: A case report
Satoshi Hirose1, Makoto Hara, Kento Koda
1Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Rationale:
Transverse myelitis is an infectious or noninfectious inflammatory spinal cord syndrome. We report a rare case of transverse myelitis following vaccination against COVID-19.
Patient Concerns:
A 70-year-old male presented with progressive sensorimotor dysfunction of the bilateral lower limbs 7 days after receiving the mRNA-1273 vaccine against COVID-19. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed intramedullary lesions with gadolinium enhancement on the Th1/2 and Th5/6 vertebral levels. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing showed a mildly increased level of total protein and positive oligoclonal bands (OCB).
Diagnosis:
The patient was diagnosed with acute transverse myelitis.
Intervention:
The patient received 5 days of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (1000 mg/day) followed by oral prednisolone (30 mg/day with gradual tapering).
Outcomes:
The patient fully recovered from muscle weakness of the lower limbs. He was discharged from our hospital and able to independently walk without unsteadiness.
Lesson:
This is a rare case of transverse myelitis following COVID-19 vaccination. Positive OCB in CSF in the present case highlights the possibility of autoimmune processes, including polyclonal activation of B lymphocytes, following vaccination.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which leads...
Vaccines
Viral Meningitis
Arboviral Encephalitis
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology


