title: The epidemiology of transverse myelitis.
abstract: Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder causing acute spinal cord injury as a result of acute inflammation, often associated with para infectious processes and autoimmune disease. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the geoepidemiology of transverse myelitis and assess its environmental associations. Articles from 1981 to 2009 were reviewed in Pub Med along with potential causes such as autoimmune disease (focusing on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), and Sjogren's), infection, vaccination, and intoxication.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Anupama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naguwa
authors.forename: Gurtej
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheema
authors.forename: M Eric
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gershwin
mesh_terms: D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects*