Acute transverse myelitis and acute motor axonal neuropathy developed after vaccinations against seasonal and 2009 A/H1N1 influenza

Abstract

Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) has been described as an uncommon complication of vaccinations and is rarely accompanied by inflammatory peripheral neuropathy. We report a case of a 77-year-old woman who developed ATM and acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) following vaccinations against seasonal and 2009 A/H1N1 influenza. She manifested ophthalmoplegia, quadriparesis and sensory impairment. MR imaging showed a longitudinally-extensive spinal cord lesion, and nerve conduction study revealed motor axonal polyneuropathy. Despite prompt treatment, her symptoms poorly recovered. While concurrent ATM and AMAN may suggest the presence of a common antigen, their scarcity indicates the importance of other factors causing immunologic disruptions. © 2011 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.