Acute flaccid myelitis due to enterovirus-D68. A case report

Abstract

In 2014 enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) arose as an emerging pathogen in the United States and Canada, responsible for the appearance of several cases of acute flaccid myelitis in children. These flare-ups extended worldwide with several patients being declared in Spain in 2015-2016, one of whom we are presenting herein. A 22-month-old patient with impossibility to lift his upper limbs and head support, osteotendinous reflexes were present. Blood work, urine drugs, cranial computed tomography and electroencephalogram were normal, cerebral spinal fluid with discrete pleocytosis. In the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 24 hours, T2 hypersignal of C1-C7 was observed. The electromyogram showed evidence of axonal motor peripheral pathology. A new MRI was performed subsequently which showed increased uptake by the anterior roots in cauda equina. The visual evoked potencial showed demyelinating bilateral optic neuropathy and mixed involvement of the posterior cord at the cervical level. EV-D68 was isolated from the nasopharyngeal aspirate. The onset of an acute motor deficit is a medical emergency in which we should consider a wide range of bilities. Acute flaccid myelitis is a syndrome described in relation with flare-ups produced by EV-D68. The findings mentioned in our patient have been described in relation with this diagnosis.