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Since the end of October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been monitoring hundreds of cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a polio-like illness that mainly affects children.
AFM attacks the nervous system, causing weakness of the arms, legs and spinal cord. The CDC has information on the AFM dating back to 2014, and although there are many suspected cases of infection, many are still under investigation, which is often difficult to confirm.
The CDC reported that 80 cases had been confirmed in 25 states and that 219 cases were currently under investigation as the infection was spreading.
CDC studies
The causes of AFM are still unknown and the CDC still does not know why the infection has been on the rise since 2014.
Four years ago, the CDC confirmed 120 cases in 34 states. In 2016, there were 149 cases in 39 states. Based on trends in recent years, the CDC found that cases tended to increase around this time of the year; Experts do not expect this year's numbers to get too much out of control.
"I do not think it will get worse," said Dr. Benjamin Greenberg at the Dallas News. "I'm based on what we've seen in previous years."
The CDC is closely monitoring infection activity across the country and continues to research the causes and risk factors associated with AFD.
"We are working closely with health care providers and state and local health departments to increase awareness of the AFM," the CDC reported. "We encourage health care providers to recognize patients in their health department who they suspect have an AFM and to inform patients, and invite health departments to send this information to the CDC for further information. help to understand the national burden of AFM.
Importance of the report
As more and more MFA cases continue to add up, CDC advisers have been publicly disappointed with the way the agency has treated the disease.
Counselors noted that the agency had been slow to provide information on potential causes and treatments to health care providers, and many parents reported that emergency room physicians had sent their children home after misdiagnosing the AFM.
"Doctors are on the front line and what we see is really heartbreaking: children are healthy one day and very disabled in some cases the next day," Keith Van Haren, one of advisors of the CDC.
The CDC continues to look for ways to share AFM information with country health officials to diagnose and properly treat children.
Prevent infection
Although there is no guaranteed method to prevent AFM, the CDC suggests that parents help parents eliminate risk.
Getting the polio vaccine is of utmost importance because it can protect against poliovirus. In addition, making sure your hands are clean – and washing them often with soap and water – is an effective way to prevent the spread of germs. The CDC also suggests that consumers protect themselves from mosquito bites, as West Nile virus can sometimes lead to MFA.
The CDC's AFM survey page is updated regularly to inform consumers of the latest news about the disease.
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