Purpose of review: This article reviews the common infectious etiologies of spinal cord dysfunction that span the globe epidemiologically and vary pathophysiologically.
Recent findings: Many microorganisms have the ability to directly or indirectly result in spinal cord dysfunction. These agents may have the ability to infect the spinal cord itself, but frequently cause indirect damage by parainfectious or postinfectious immune-mediated destruction or external compression of the spinal cord.
Summary: Infectious myelopathies can pose diagnostic difficulty but are potentially reversible causes of spinal cord dysfunction. The often complex relationship among the infectious agent, the immune system, and the neuraxis can create a difficult management conundrum whereby immune modulation may be the preferred approach.