Myelitis infect immunocompromised hosts such as Candida species, Aspergillus species, and zygomycetes. Parasitic species infect human hosts through larvae that penetrate the skin. Then they enter the lymphatic and circulatory system, and migrate to liver and lung. Some reach the spinal cord. Parasitic infections have been reported with Schistosoma species, "Toxocara canis", Echinococcus species, "Taenia solium", "Trichinella spiralis", and Plasmodium species. In 2016 it was identified in Mayo clinic an autoimmune form of myelitis due to the presence of anti-GFAP autoantibodies. Immunoglobulins directed against the α-isoform of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP-IgG) predicted an special meningoencephalomyelitis termed autoimmune GFAP Astrocytopathy that
Inflammation is characterized not only by development of profound immunodeficiency but also by sustained inflammation and immune activation. A substantial body of evidence implicates chronic inflammation as a critical driver of immune dysfunction, premature appearance of aging-related diseases, and immune deficiency. Many now regard HIV infection not only as an evolving virus-induced immunodeficiency but also as chronic inflammatory disease. Even after the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) and effective suppression of viremia in HIV-infected individuals, chronic inflammation persists. Animal studies also support the relationship between immune activation and progressive cellular immune deficiency: SIVsm infection of its natural nonhuman primate hosts,