Transverse Myelitis Being a “Polio Like” Illness
Original Post: Dr. Richard Bruno, can you help me understand the difference? People are still referring to EV-68 as polio. Is TM the same as Endovirus 68 or 71?
Dr. Bruno’s Response:
Transverse Myelitis (meaning "inflammation across the spinal cord") is like having multiple sclerosis within a narrow band through the spinal cord. TM affects the covering of motor and sensory nerves and can cause paralysis and loss of feeling/nerve pain. Polio damages only the motor nerves themselves and you know the results. TM has nothing to do with the 3 polioviruses.
TM is NOT the same as Endovirus 68 or 71 or the 3 polioviruses. TM can be triggered by an infection, but these viruses do not do the damage in TM.
It has never been proven that EV-68 caused muscle weakness in the 101 children that were affected in 2014. And there was no repeat the following summer. EV-71 DOES damage motor neurons and was suggested as "poliovirus Type 4". . . Like we need a 4th poliovirus!