BACKGROUND: Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is an uncommon and often overlooked complication of certain bacterial and viral infections that can have a rapid onset and result in severe neurological deficits. 

CASE REPORT: This case report describes a previously healthy 28-year-old woman who presented to the trauma center after developing acute paralysis and paresthesias of all four extremities within the span of hours. The initial presumptive diagnosis was spinal cord contusion due to a fall versus an unknown mechanism of trauma, but eventual laboratory studies revealed Salmonella bacteremia, indicating a probable diagnosis of parainfectious ATM.

CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the importance of considering the diagnosis of parainfectious ATM in patients presenting with acute paralysis with incomplete or unobtainable medical histories.

Keywords: Bacteremia, Quadriplegia, Salmonella Infections