Infectious myelopathies

Neurological Aspects of HIV-1/HTLV-1 and HIV-1/HTLV-2 Coinfection

Simultaneous infection by human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and human T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) are not uncommon since they have similar means of transmission and are simultaneously endemic in many populations. Besides causing severe immune dysfunction, these viruses are neuropathogenic and can cause neurological diseases through direct and indirect mechanisms. Many pieces of evidence at present show that coinfection may alter the natural history of general and, more specifically, neurological disorders through different mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on the influence of coinfection on the progression and outcome of neurological complications of HTLV-1/2 and HIV-1.

Imaging in neurologic infections I: bacterial and parasitic diseases

Often presenting as medical emergencies, nervous system infections can be diagnostically challenging. Knowledgeable utilization of neuroimaging modalities and the understanding of characteristic imaging findings facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. In the first part of this two-part review, we address common and unique diagnostic imaging features of bacterial and parasitic nervous system infections.