Adult Onset Acute Flaccid Myelitis: A Case Report

We report a 23-year-old male who presented with acute dysarthria, dysphagia, and quadriparesis. These symptoms were preceded by fever and headache. His neurological symptoms were progressive and rendered him quadriplegic over three weeks. Extensive workup for infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic etiologies was negative; however, the clinical course and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord were consistent with the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria of acute flaccid myelitis. The patient had various lines of therapy, including antimicrobial agents, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasma exchange, and corticosteroids but he was discharged with significant disability. Despite the increasing number of reported cases worldwide, many aspects of this condition remain unknown including its pathophysiology and optimal treatment regimen. In this case report, we shed light on this clinical entity to increase awareness among practitioners worldwide.