title: Atypical transverse myelitis due to cytomegalovirus in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-associated transverse myelitis is rare in immunocompetent patients. We report a 73-year-old man with no evidence of immune compromise, who developed acute transverse myelitis. Cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis indicated central nervous system inflammation, and spinal MRI showed weak signal hypointensity in T1, hyperintensity in T2 and DP between C7 and T2, but no contrast enhancement. High CSF anti- CMV IgG index with normal CSF IgG index indicated intact blood-brain barrier, and supported the diagnosis of CMV-induced myelitis in an immunocompetent patient.
authors.affiliation: National Neurological Institute C. Besta, Via Celoria 11, I-20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rigamonti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Usai
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciusani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bussone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000502:physiology*; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology