RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord injury (SCI) etiology can be either traumatic or non-traumatic. Non-traumatic SCI is of growing importance, with studies indicating increased incidence, partly because of population aging. Approximately 9% of these injuries are secondary to an infectious cause. SCI has significant implications on the patient's quality of life. A successful rehabilitation process focuses on maximizing independence and setting achievable goals according to the patient's needs and desires. The medical staff should be familiar with the natural history of such injuries while taking into consideration the existing support systems available to the patient and minimizing the damage to life cycles as best possible with the aid of a transdisciplinary team approach. In this article, we will review the main viral causes of SCI injury. We will discuss the epidemiology, clinical aspects and the unique meanings of this subgroup in the rehabilitation process.
