There are manydifferent possible causes of myelopathy.
HIV itself, though, can attack the nervous system, including the spinal cord.
Often, loss of bowel or bladder control can follow.
Illustration by Laura Porter for Verywell Health
Some altered sensation in the legs can also occur.
All can cause disease in the spinal cord.
Myelitis triggered by other herpes viruses, such as HSV, is rare in people with intact immune systems.
Enteroviruses
The best-knownenterovirusto infect the spinal cord is polio, which thankfully has become very rare in developed countries.
West Nile Virus
West Nile virus is carried by mosquitoes.
Neurological complications occur in approximately 5% of infected patients, including meningitis or paralysis.
Since syphilis is usually caught before the opportunity for neurological problems can arise, these complications are now rare.
All in all, then, syphilis infections can impact the spinal cord in a variety of ways.
This is followed by impotence and problems with bladder and bowel control.
Numbness, tingling, and other problems with sensation result.
The next phase involves severeataxiaof the legs, which makes it progressively difficult to walk.
Ultimately, the final stage is complete paralysis of the legs.
Meningomyelitis is an inflammation of the tissue surrounding the spinal cord as well as the spinal cord itself.
The first symptom is a sense of leg heaviness and overtime the legs become progressively weaker.
Sensory loss can also occur.
Fortunately, the disease usually responds well topenicillin(antibacterial drugs).
The most common spinal cord problem results from bony lesions in the spine spreading to the spinal cord.
The result is a contained collection of pus.
The most common cause of spinal cord abscesses isStaphylococcus aureus.
A neurosurgeon may be needed to remove the abscess without rupturing it and spilling the infection into the body.
The organisms normally live in freshwater, and people may be infected when swimming in that water.
The canine tapewormEchinococcus granulosuscan cause cysts that compress the spinal cord.
See your healthcare provider as soon as you notice symptoms.
Your prognosis will be better the sooner your infection is identified and treated.
Oyinkan marquis B, Capone PM.Myelopathy.Handb Clin Neurol.
2018;15(1-2):28-32.
2012;168(3):257-69.
2018;378(6):529-538.
2015;92(5):1006-1012. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.14-0616
French P.Syphilis.BMJ.
2007;334(7585):143-7. doi:10.1136/bmj.39085.518148.BE
Ha T, Tadi P, Dubensky L.Neurosyphilis.
In:StatPearls[Internet].
Pandey S.Magnetic resonance imaging of the spinal cord in a man with tabes dorsalis.J Spinal Cord Med.
2013;9(12):e1003743.
doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003743
Colley DG, Bustinduy AL, Secor WE, King CH.Human schistosomiasis.Lancet.
2015;32(3):265267. doi:10.4103/0970-2113.156248
