HELENA – Montana has two suspected cases involving Gallatin County adults of a "mysterious disease" that is experiencing a resurgence nationwide and can cause damage to the nervous system and spinal cord, announced Friday. officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently assessing suspected cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), said Jon Ebelt, spokesperson for Montana's Department of Public Health and Social Services.

The last known case of AFM in Montana dates back to 2015 and concerns a child from Yellowstone County, he said.

"It is important to note that it is not unusual to evaluate a possible AFM case – the criteria are not accurate and each suspect case is assessed by the CDC," Ebelt told E-mail.

According to reports, there is no known vaccine or cure.

Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a press conference on Oct. 16 that the agency was monitoring the disease since 2014, the year of the first increase in the number of cases.

She added that the number of cases reported so far in 2018 is similar to that reported at the same time in 2014 and 2016.

She stated that most cases involved children.

"In 2018, the CDC received 127 reports of patients under investigation or IUP; 62 cases were confirmed as AFM (in 22 states). "

According to her, among the confirmed cases, the average age is about 4 years and more than 90% of cases involve children 18 years and under.

Acute flaccid myelitis is described as a rare but serious condition that affects the nervous system. It specifically affects the area of ​​the spinal cord called gray matter and weakens muscles and reflexes. Some press articles describe it as "poliolike".

"We know that this can be scary for parents," said Ms. Messonnier, adding that she encouraged parents to seek immediate medical attention if they or their child developed a sudden weakness or loss of muscle tone in arms or legs.

She said the CDC knows that poliovirus is not the cause of these cases of AFM. The CDC tested all stool samples of AFM patients. None of the samples were tested positive for poliovirus. AFM can be caused by other viruses, such as enterovirus and West Nile virus, by environmental toxins and by a disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the tissues it takes for foreign bodies .

"Although we know that this may cause the AFM, we have not been able to find a cause for the majority of these cases," said Messonnier.

It is estimated that less than one in a million people receive AFM each year. The possible causes are believed to be viruses, environmental toxins and genetic disorders. Sudden weakness of the arms or legs and loss of muscle tone and reflexes occur in most people. In addition to weakness of the arms or legs, some have a facial looseness / weakness, difficulty moving the eyes, droopy eyelids or difficulty swallowing or having speech problems.

State officials stated that there was no test for diagnosing AFM and that this condition was detected by examining the patient's nervous system and examining images of the spinal cord.

Messonnier said she was frustrated that she could not identify the cause of what she called a "mysterious disease" despite all the CDC's efforts.

"We are continuing our research to better understand the clinical picture of AFD cases, the risk factors and the possible causes of the increase in the number of cases," she said. "Despite extensive laboratory testing, we did not determine which pathogen or immune response caused weakness and paralysis of the arm or leg in most patients. We do not know who may be at higher risk of developing AFM or why they may be at higher risk. "

She also stated that the long-term consequences of the MFA were not known.

"We know that some patients who have been diagnosed with AFM have recovered quickly and some are still paralyzed and in need of ongoing care," she said. "And we have one death in 2017 in a child with AFM."

She added that a toolkit for health professionals had been developed for health professionals. It contained information on the AFM and instructions for PUI notification to the health department.

The CDC website contains information for families with MMA patients, links to important resources and a section for health care providers.

DPHHS recommends washing your hands often with soap and water as one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to other people. They also ask people to keep up with vaccinations.

Learn more

For more information, visit the CDC website at: https://bit.ly/2f1r2X2

The state also publishes information on a website: https://bit.ly/2qctP3Z

Contact Phil Drake at 406-422-0772 or at [email protected].

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