Transverse myelitis
Meaning of transverse myelitis: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, transverse myelitis: (a) means an acute or subacute immune-mediated, inflammatory disorder of the spinal cord producing symptoms and signs of impaired motor, sensory or autonomic functioning; and (b) excludes myelitis or myelopathy of the spinal cord due to: (i) acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; (ii) atopic myelitis; (iii) intrathecal chemotherapy; (iv) multiple sclerosis; (v) neuromyelitis optica syndrome; (vi) radiation; (vii) spinal cord compression; (viii) trauma; (ix) tumour invasion; and (x) vascular, metabolic or degenerative pathologies.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 71 of 2021
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting transverse myelitis or death from transverse myelitis with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)having a symptomatic gastrointestinal infection or respiratory tract infection within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (2)having an infection with a viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic organism within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (3)having a systemic autoimmune disease at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (4)having sarcoidosis at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (5)having a malignant neoplasm, other than non-melanotic malignant neoplasm of the skin, at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
Note: Transverse myelitis may be part of a paraneoplastic syndrome and the malignant neoplasm may be present but not yet diagnosed at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis.
- (6)taking a drug from the specified list of drugs within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
Note: specified list of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (7)taking heroin within the 7 days before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (8)receiving oral polio vaccine within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (9)having a bone marrow or stem cell transplant before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (10)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for transverse myelitis;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 8(10) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 72 of 2021
9 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, transverse myelitis or death from transverse myelitis is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)having a symptomatic gastrointestinal infection or respiratory tract infection within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (2)having an infection with a viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic organism within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (3)having a systemic autoimmune disease at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (4)having sarcoidosis at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (5)having a malignant neoplasm, other than non-melanotic malignant neoplasm of the skin, at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
Note: Transverse myelitis may be part of a paraneoplastic syndrome and the malignant neoplasm may be present but not yet diagnosed at the time of the clinical onset of transverse myelitis.
- (6)taking a drug from the specified list of drugs within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
Note: specified list of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (7)receiving oral polio vaccine within the 2 months before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (8)having a bone marrow or stem cell transplant before the clinical onset of transverse myelitis;
- (9)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for transverse myelitis;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 8(9) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
