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WASHINGTON – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have received reports of 127 patients being investigated for acute flaccid myelitis this year.
Of these, 62 were confirmed by the CDC and the rest continue to be investigated, said Nancy Messonnier, director of the agency's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. She noted that confirmed cases are in 22 states.
Officials at Children's Hospital in Mercy Kansas City said two cases of MFA had been confirmed at the hospital. A spokeswoman for the hospital said she had informed the health department and worked with the CDC to find out more about the disease.
Acute flaccid myelitis, also called AFM, is a rare but serious condition that affects the nervous system and suddenly weakens muscles and reflexes, she said Tuesday. Specifically, the disease affects the area of the spinal cord called gray matter.
As the symptoms are similar, AFM is often confused with polio, a disabling and potentially fatal disease caused by a virus.
The overall AFM rate is less than one in a million, she said.
An average age of 4
According to the analysis of cases reported in recent years, the average age of patients in all cases confirmed in the last five years is only 4 years. More than 90% of cases occur in children 18 years old and younger. Although the AFM did not kill this year, there was one death in 2017.
"The CDCs are actively studying the AFM, testing samples and monitoring the disease since 2014, when we saw a first increase in the number of cases," said Messonnier. "Most cases of MFA occur in late summer and fall," she said of "seasonal clustering." No geographic grouping has been found and there is no other unifying factor to explain the peaks, "she added.
Although the AFM is not unique to the United States, said Messonnier, "no one else has attended a seasonal reunion every two years".
"We have not been able to find a cause for the majority of these cases of MFA," she said. "At the present time, we know that poliovirus is not the cause of these cases of AFM. The CDC tested all stool samples of all AFM patients. None of the samples were tested positive for poliovirus. "
AFM can be caused by other viruses, including enteroviruses, environmental toxins, and a state in which the immune system attacks and destroys the tissues it takes for foreign bodies, said Messonnier: "This is a mystery so far, and we have not solved the problem. again, then we must think in general terms. "
More broadly, she noted, "there are many things we do not know about AFM".
For example, the CDC does not know who is most likely to develop an AFM and why some are at higher risk, she said. The public health agency also does not fully understand the long-term consequences or reasons why some patients recover quickly while others continue to experience weaknesses.
"On track" with previous years
On Monday, CNN contacted the health departments of all states and received responses from 48 states and the District of Columbia. CNN found 47 confirmed and 49 suspected or investigated cases, for a total of 96 cases in 30 states in 2018. Fifteen states reported confirming cases this year.
Asked about the discrepancy between the report of the CDC of 22 states and that of CNN on 30 states with cases, Mr. Messonnier said: "The 22 states we report are states with confirmed cases. There will be a delay, a shift in the timing of some of these reports. "
The CDC does not say how many states have patients under investigation, but only more than 22.
She added that confirmation of each case required an examination of the images and symptoms of MRI. "We will wait a little before confirming this information."
States report their cases to the CDC, said Messonnier. Even though it is too early to understand how the current season looks, she noted, the country is "on track with what has happened in 2014 and 2016" and will probably have the same number of cases.
The CDC received information on 33 confirmed cases of MFA in 16 states in 2017, 149 cases in 39 states. In 2016, 22 in 17 states in 2015 and 120 in 34 states in 2014.
"It's a pretty dramatic disease," said Messonnier. With the sudden onset of weakness, patients "generally seek medical care" and are evaluated by neurologists, infectious disease specialists and pediatricians. "We think the majority of cases catch our attention."
The CDC urges parents to be aware of this condition and seek immediate treatment if family members develop sudden weakness or loss of muscle tone in the arms or legs.
The agency also announced that it would publish weekly updates on the number of cases on its website, which was different from the monthly updates it provided.
"As we work to better understand the causes of AFM, parents can protect their children by washing their hands, respecting the recommended vaccines and using an insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites," said Messonnier.
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