# Adult Onset Acute Flaccid Myelitis: A Case Report

## TL;DR

A 23-year-old man developed severe neurological symptoms consistent with acute flaccid myelitis, but no clear cause or effective treatment was found.

## Contribution

This case report highlights adult-onset acute flaccid myelitis to raise awareness among medical professionals.

## Key findings

- The patient's symptoms met CDC criteria for acute flaccid myelitis despite negative tests for common causes.
- Multiple treatments failed to reverse the patient's disability, which persisted at discharge.
- The case underscores the lack of understanding about the condition's pathophysiology and treatment.

## Abstract

We report a 23-year-old male who presented with acute dysarthria, dysphagia, and quadriparesis. These symptoms were preceded by fever and headache. His neurological symptoms were progressive and rendered him quadriplegic over three weeks. Extensive workup for infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic etiologies was negative; however, the clinical course and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord were consistent with the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria of acute flaccid myelitis. The patient had various lines of therapy, including antimicrobial agents, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasma exchange, and corticosteroids but he was discharged with significant disability. Despite the increasing number of reported cases worldwide, many aspects of this condition remain unknown including its pathophysiology and optimal treatment regimen. In this case report, we shed light on this clinical entity to increase awareness among practitioners worldwide.