Unique form of propriospinal myoclonus as a possible complication of an enteropathogenic toxin

Mov Disord. 2003 Aug;18(8):942-8. doi: 10.1002/mds.10453.

Abstract

Propriospinal myoclonus is an uncommon form of spinal myoclonus propagated, presumably, by slowly conducting polysynaptic intraspinal pathways. Although most patients demonstrate no clear etiology, a variety of disorders have been linked to this abnormal movement, including trauma, multiple sclerosis, tumors, and infectious disorders such as herpes zoster, human immunodeficiency virus, and Lyme disease. We describe 2 young male patients from the same town in Northern Ontario, Canada, exposed to an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from contaminated municipal water, who developed identical clinical and electrophysiological features suggestive of a rhythmic form of propriospinal myoclonus with activity alternating between abdominal and paraspinal muscles. A toxin-mediated microvascular thrombosis is proposed as a possible pathogenic mechanism underlying this novel association.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Electromyography / instrumentation
  • Enterotoxins
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects
  • Escherichia coli Infections / complications*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / microbiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology*
  • Myoclonus / diagnosis
  • Myoclonus / etiology*
  • Myoclonus / physiopathology*
  • Spine
  • Videotape Recording

Substances

  • Enterotoxins