14 cases of polio-like rare diseases reported in Colorado

DENVER – According to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, 14 cases of a rare polio-like illness that primarily affects children have been reported in Colorado.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38 cases of acute flaccid myelitis (MAA) have been confirmed so far in 2018 in 16 states of the country. These numbers go up to September 30 and include six cases in Minnesota.

AFM is a rare disease that affects a person's nervous system, especially the spinal cord, according to the CDC. AFM, or neurological conditions, like this one, have various causes such as viruses, environmental toxins and genetic disorders.

Of the 14 AFM patients in Colorado, 11 were tested positive for enterovirus A71, one positive for enterovirus D68 and two positive for enterovirus, said the Colorado Department of Health .

Although all patients have been hospitalized, they are almost completely cured, the State Department of Health said in a press release. There were no deaths in Colorado.

Colorado has already experienced less common enterovirus outbreaks. In 2014, the enterovirus D68 caused an outbreak of respiratory disease in Colorado children and was associated with 11 cases of acute flaccid myelitis. In 2003 and 2005, enterovirus A71 caused epidemics similar to those in Colorado: eight cases of central nervous system infections occurred in each of these years.

Between August 2014 and August of this year, the CDC recorded 362 cases. In 2017, 33 cases. In 2016, 149 cases were reported.

The CDC has compiled the following list of facts about AFM:

• Most patients are children
• Patients' symptoms were very similar to the complications of infection with some viruses, including polioviruses, non-polio enteroviruses, adenoviruses, and West Nile virus.
• Enteroviruses most often cause mild illness. They can also cause neurological diseases, such as meningitis, encephalitis and AFM, but they are rare.
• The CDC has tested many specimens from AFM patients to detect a wide range of pathogens (germs) that can cause AFM. To date, no pathogen (germ) has been systematically detected in the patient's cerebrospinal fluid; a pathogen detected in the cerebrospinal fluid would be good evidence to indicate the cause of MFA since this condition affects the spinal cord.

The increase in MFA cases in 2014 coincided with a national outbreak of severe respiratory disease caused by enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). Among those confirmed with AFM, the CDC did not consistently detect EV-D68 in each patient.

In 2015, the CDC did not receive information on any major outbreaks of EV-D68 in the United States and the laboratories reported only limited detections of 39; EV-D68 to the CDC National Enterovirus Surveillance System (NESS). In 2016, the CDC was informed of a few localized clusters in the United States.

Symptoms of enteroviral complications or acute flaccid myelitis

The Colorado Health Department said that parents and guardians should contact a health care provider if they or their children had any of the following symptoms.

• Severe symptoms such as sudden weakness of arms and legs, difficulty breathing, unstable walking, severe headache, stiff neck or convulsions.
• Dizziness, wobbliness or abnormal jerky movements that worsen at night.
• Fever with any other symptoms of concern.

To protect yourself and others from enterovirus:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Take special care to wash your hands after using the toilet and changing diapers.
• Avoid close contact with sick people and do not share cups or utensils.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
• Cover your coughing and sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home when you are sick and keep the children at home from school or daycare for 24 hours after the end of the fever or they drool uncontrollably and have sores in their mouths.
• Colorado has already experienced less common enterovirus outbreaks. In 2014, the enterovirus D68 caused an outbreak of respiratory disease in Colorado children and was associated with 11 cases of acute flaccid myelitis. In 2003 and 2005, enterovirus A71 caused epidemics similar to those in Colorado: eight cases of central nervous system infections occurred in each of these years.

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