Acute parasitic and other infectious myelopathies in the tropics: 26 cases at the University Hospital in Conakry

Med Sante Trop. 2016 Nov 1;26(4):439-445. doi: 10.1684/mst.2016.0632.

Abstract

In tropical countries, laboratory-confirmed diagnostic certainty of parasitic and other infectious causes of acute myelopathy is difficult because of a shortage of medical professionals and consulting delays. We performed a retrospective study of 168 patients hospitalized for spinal disorders between 2007 and 2013 and identified 26 diagnosed with acute non-compressive myelopathy of presumed sudden onset. An parasitic or other infectious cause was established for all. A preliminary clinical infection preceding the development of neurologic signs was reported for 22 patients (84.6 %). Neurological signs were limited to the existence of a progressive sensorimotor symptomatology with sphincter disorders.

Keywords: Infection; Marrow; Myelopathies; Parasites-Conakry.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Guinea
  • Hospitals, University
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / epidemiology
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / microbiology*
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / parasitology*
  • Young Adult