Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (645 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Inflammation of the spinal cord. Relatively common etiologies include infections; autoimmune diseases; spinal cord; and ischemia (see also spinal cord vascular diseases). Clinical features generally include weakness, sensory loss, localized pain, incontinence, and other signs of autonomic dysfunction.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Myelitides; Inflammation, Spinal Cord; Myelopathy, Inflammatory; Inflammatory Myelopathies; Inflammatory Myelopathy; Myelopathies, Inflammatory; Spinal Cord Inflammation; Inflammations, Spinal Cord.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Central Nervous System Infections; Spinal Cord Diseases; Neuroinflammatory Diseases
- Narrower topics
- Myelitis, Transverse; Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic; Poliomyelitis
Related concepts
- Autoimmune Diseases
- Spinal Cord
- Spinal Cord Vascular Diseases
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 27,834 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Myelitis” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 2,265 of them (8.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 18,490 records.
Reviews account for 1,822 records (6.5%) and meta-analyses for 40. Randomized controlled trials number 252 (0.9%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 18,490 |
| 2000-2009 | 3,302 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,777 |
| 2020 onward | 2,265 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 1,822 | 6.5% |
| Meta-analyses | 40 | 0.1% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 252 | 0.9% |
Method: PubMed query "Myelitis"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in infectious diseases
Infectious disease evidence combines microbiology, epidemiology and clinical trials. Laboratory studies identify pathogens and how they cause harm; surveillance and outbreak investigations describe who is affected and how infection spreads; trials establish whether treatments and vaccines work. Results depend on place and time, because pathogens evolve and resistance patterns and population immunity change. Check when and where the data were collected, how cases were defined and how up to date the evidence is.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genetic stabilization of attenuated oral vaccines against poliovirus types 1 and 3 | 2023 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 51 | cc by PMID 37316671 · DOI · PMC10322712 |
| The Last Mile in Polio Eradication: Program Challenges and Perseverance | 2024 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 21 | cc by PMID 38668278 · DOI · PMC11053864 |
| Wastewater Surveillance for Poliovirus in Selected Jurisdictions, United States, 2022-2023 | 2024 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 18 | cc by PMID 39447148 · DOI · PMC11521156 |
| Higher stability of novel live-attenuated oral poliovirus type 2 (nOPV2) despite the emergence of a neurovirulent double recombinant strain in Uganda | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 3 | cc by PMID 41555038 · DOI · PMC12872467 |
Genetic stabilization of attenuated oral vaccines against poliovirus types 1 and 3 [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Vaccination with Sabin, a live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV), results in robust intestinal and humoral immunity and has been key to controlling poliomyelitis.
- Closing excerpt
- Importantly, these vaccine candidates are highly immunogenic in mice as monovalent and multivalent formulations and may contribute to poliovirus eradication.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (212 words)
Vaccination with Sabin, a live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV), results in robust intestinal and humoral immunity and has been key to controlling poliomyelitis. As with any RNA virus, OPV evolves rapidly to lose attenuating determinants critical to the reacquisition of virulence1-3 resulting in vaccine-derived, virulent poliovirus variants. Circulation of these variants within underimmunized populations leads to further evolution of circulating, vaccine-derived poliovirus with higher transmission capacity, representing a significant risk of polio re-emergence. A new type 2 OPV (nOPV2), with promising clinical data on genetic stability and immunogenicity, recently received authorization from the World Health Organization for use in response to circulating, vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks. Here we report the development of two additional live attenuated vaccine candidates against type 1 and 3 polioviruses. The candidates were generated by replacing the capsid coding region of nOPV2 with that from Sabin 1 or 3. These chimeric viruses show growth phenotypes similar to nOPV2 and immunogenicity comparable to their parental Sabin strains, but are more attenuated. Our experiments in mice and deep sequencing analysis confirmed that the candidates remain attenuated and preserve all the documented nOPV2 characteristics concerning genetic stability following accelerated virus evolution. Importantly, these vaccine candidates are highly immunogenic in mice as monovalent and multivalent formulations and may contribute to poliovirus eradication.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 37316671 · DOI · PMC10322712
The Last Mile in Polio Eradication: Program Challenges and Perseverance [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- As the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) strategizes towards the final steps of eradication, routine immunization schedules evolve, and high-quality vaccination campaigns and surveillance systems remain essential.
- Closing excerpt
- As the GPEI inches towards eradication, re-strategizing in the face of evolving challenges and preparing for unknown risks in the post-certification era are critical.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (95 words)
As the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) strategizes towards the final steps of eradication, routine immunization schedules evolve, and high-quality vaccination campaigns and surveillance systems remain essential. New tools are consistently being developed, such as the novel oral poliovirus vaccine to combat outbreaks more sustainably, as well as non-infectiously manufactured vaccines such as virus-like particle vaccines to eliminate the risk of resurgence of polio on the eve of a polio-free world. As the GPEI inches towards eradication, re-strategizing in the face of evolving challenges and preparing for unknown risks in the post-certification era are critical.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 38668278 · DOI · PMC11053864
Wastewater Surveillance for Poliovirus in Selected Jurisdictions, United States, 2022-2023 [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Wastewater testing can inform public health action as a component of polio outbreak response.
- Closing excerpt
- However, these results highlight the ongoing risk for poliovirus importations into the United States and the need to identify undervaccinated communities and increase vaccination coverage to prevent paralytic polio.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (153 words)
Wastewater testing can inform public health action as a component of polio outbreak response. During 2022-2023, a total of 7 US jurisdictions (5 states and 2 cities) participated in prospective or retrospective testing of wastewater for poliovirus after a paralytic polio case was identified in New York state. Two distinct vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 viruses were detected in wastewater from New York state and New York City during 2022, representing 2 separate importation events. Of those viruses, 1 resulted in persistent community transmission in multiple New York counties and 1 paralytic case. No poliovirus was detected in the other participating jurisdictions (Connecticut, New Jersey, Michigan, and Illinois and Chicago, IL). The value of routine wastewater surveillance for poliovirus apart from an outbreak is unclear. However, these results highlight the ongoing risk for poliovirus importations into the United States and the need to identify undervaccinated communities and increase vaccination coverage to prevent paralytic polio.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 39447148 · DOI · PMC11521156
Higher stability of novel live-attenuated oral poliovirus type 2 (nOPV2) despite the emergence of a neurovirulent double recombinant strain in Uganda [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) was developed to reduce the risk of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks by incorporating genetic modifications to enhance genetic stability and reduce reversion to virulence while retaining protection.
- Closing excerpt
- Continued use of nOPV2 and inactivated polio vaccine, combined with robust immunization and monitoring, remains essential for achieving and sustaining global polio eradication.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (185 words)
The novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) was developed to reduce the risk of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks by incorporating genetic modifications to enhance genetic stability and reduce reversion to virulence while retaining protection. Here we report the characterization of 231 nOPV2 isolates from Uganda during a 1-year period following nOPV2 use. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that most isolates retained nOPV2's genetic modifications, with limited mutations in the VP1 region indicating no relevant virus transmission. However, a double recombinant strain identified in a sewage sample lost all key nOPV2 modifications through recombination with enterovirus C strains upstream and downstream of the capsid coding region. This resulted in high neurovirulence comparable to that of wild-type 2 poliovirus. Despite this, the strain did not spread widely, probably due to high vaccination coverage. These findings underscore the enhanced genetic stability of nOPV2 and its reduced risk of reversion compared with Sabin monovalent OPV2 (mOPV2), while highlighting the importance of surveillance to detect rare recombination events. Continued use of nOPV2 and inactivated polio vaccine, combined with robust immunization and monitoring, remains essential for achieving and sustaining global polio eradication.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41555038 · DOI · PMC12872467
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Environmental surveillance for polioviruses in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative [5]
- Research article Polio vaccination: past, present and future [6]
- Research article HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis [7]
- Research article Acute flaccid myelitis: cause, diagnosis, and management [8]
- Research article A brief history of vaccines & vaccination in India [9]
- Research article The role of exosomes in CNS inflammation and their involvement in multiple sclerosis [10]
References
- Yeh MT, Smith M, Carlyle S, Konopka-Anstadt JL, Burns CC, Konz J, et al.. Genetic stabilization of attenuated oral vaccines against poliovirus types 1 and 3. . 2023. PMID 37316671 · DOI · PMC10322712
- Lopez Cavestany R, Eisenhawer M, Diop OM, Verma H, Quddus A, Mach O. The Last Mile in Polio Eradication: Program Challenges and Perseverance. . 2024. PMID 38668278 · DOI · PMC11053864
- Whitehouse ER, Gerloff N, English R, Reckling SK, Alazawi MA, Fuschino M, et al.. Wastewater Surveillance for Poliovirus in Selected Jurisdictions, United States, 2022-2023. . 2024. PMID 39447148 · DOI · PMC11521156
- Tushabe P, Majumdar M, Carlyle S, Shulman L, Ssekagiri A, Joffret ML, et al.. Higher stability of novel live-attenuated oral poliovirus type 2 (nOPV2) despite the emergence of a neurovirulent double recombinant strain in Uganda. . 2026. PMID 41555038 · DOI · PMC12872467
- Asghar H, Diop OM, Weldegebriel G, Malik F, Shetty S, El Bassioni L, et al.. Environmental surveillance for polioviruses in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. J Infect Dis. 2014. PMID 25316848 · DOI · PMC10578309
- Bandyopadhyay AS, Garon J, Seib K, Orenstein WA. Polio vaccination: past, present and future. Future Microbiol. 2015. PMID 25824845 · DOI
- Bangham CR, Araujo A, Yamano Y, Taylor GP. HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015. PMID 27188208 · DOI
- Murphy OC, Messacar K, Benson L, Bove R, Carpenter JL, Crawford T, et al.. Acute flaccid myelitis: cause, diagnosis, and management. Lancet. 2021. PMID 33357469 · DOI · PMC7909727
- Lahariya C. A brief history of vaccines & vaccination in India. Indian J Med Res. 2014. PMID 24927336 · PMC4078488
- Selmaj I, Mycko MP, Raine CS, Selmaj KW. The role of exosomes in CNS inflammation and their involvement in multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmunol. 2017. PMID 28385180 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.