Transverse myelitis

The main clinical associations with TM are viral infection or immunisation preceding the disease onset. It is impractical to prevent all future viral infections; however, avoidance of new vaccinations during any period of acute disease activity should be considered. A specific vaccine should be avoided for a patient who has experienced TM in close temporal association with previous administration of the vaccine. However, the risk of neurological problems with any particular vaccine is otherwise very low and likely to be outweighed by clinical benefits, and such decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis.