Myelitis factors would trigger the disease. The specific genetics in myelitis is not completely understood. It is believed that the immune system response could be to viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection; however, it is not known why the immune system attacks itself. Especially, for the immune system to cause inflammatory response anywhere in the central nervous system, the cells from the immune system must pass through the blood brain barrier. In the case of myelitis, not only is the immune system dysfunctional, but the dysfunction also crosses this protective blood brain barrier to affect the spinal cord. Most viral myelitis
Acute flaccid myelitis suggesting that the paralysis "per se" is not directly contagious, but arises as a very rare complication of the common respiratory infection. Cases of similar illnesses have been reported in Canada, northern Europe, and Japan. Acute flaccid myelitis Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a rare but serious neurological illness of sudden onset, usually in children. It presents with localised limb weakness and visible changes on MRI. The cause is not currently agreed upon though many sources point to enterovirus 68 as potentially responsible for the condition. Although the illness is not new, a marked increase in cases has been seen