TRANSVERSE MYELITIS DUE TO TUBERCULOSIS: CASE REPORT WITH NARRATIVE REVIEW

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis is a global public health problem, which continues to increase morbidity and mortality around the world. The infectious agent is the well-known Koch bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, discovered in 1882 by Robert Koch. Tuberculosis in the central nervous system with spinal cord involvement is a rare event. It is believed that the medullar infection is due to the contiguity of a bone infection at the vertebral level. The initial symptoms of spinal cord infection are due to the motor and sensory compromise of the compromised spinal cord level. Infection in the central nervous system occurs mainly due to the presentation of meningitis and intramedullary tuberculosis in HIV-positive patients, which is considered to represent only 2% of the cases of tuberculosis of the central nervous system. We present a case of spinal cord involvement due to tuberculosis.