title: Transverse myelitis associated with chronic viral hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HCV infection could cause several extra hepatic diseases including mixed cryoglobulinemia. Peripheral neuropathy is the most common complication of mixed cryoglobulinemia. In addition to cryoglobulinemia's neuropathy, transverse myelitis had been related to HCV infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  But causality of this association is not clearly established.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 55-year-old man presented with motor deficiency in lower extremities and urinary retention. Neurological exams showed a spastic paraparesis and proprioceptive ataxia. Spinal MRI revealed a contrast enhancing signal abnormality within the spinal cord extending from Levels C3 to C5. Serology hepatitis C and viremia were positive. Clinical diagnosis of acute demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy associated to chronic hepatitis C was etablished.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Screening of HCV infection must be done in patients with transverse myelitis and no clear aetiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mouelhi
authors.forename: Hayfa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mekki
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Houissa
authors.forename: Radhouane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Debbeche
authors.forename: Majd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Rejeb
authors.forename: Slim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouzaidi
authors.forename: Sinda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trabelsi
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.forename: Taoufik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Najjar
mesh_terms: D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000821:virology*