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Recently made headlines is a rare complication occurring from some viruses called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). It affects the spinal cord and causes partial paralysis.
There were three new cases of suspected AFM reported in Children in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The children are being treated at the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh where they are currently undergoing diagnostic procedures and treatment.
"We are working with the CDC and the Allegheny County Health Department to further monitor and evaluate the patient's conditions," according to a UPMC Children's Hospital spokesperson.
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There have been more than 38 cases of AFM reported this year since Sept. 30, from 16 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Since September, six children in Minnesota have been affected, and Colorado has reported 14 cases.
Most of Colorado's cells are part of an outbreak of A71 enterovirus, which is a particular strain of the virus to which polio belongs, however two children were infected with enterovirus D68, which is also a particular strain of the virus to which polio belongs . All the Coloradans have been hospitalized, and most have recovered.
Over the past four years – August 2014 through August 2018 – The CDC has received a total of 262 cases across the U.S., with most cases occurring in children. The CDC estimates that fewer than a million will get AFM every year in the United States.
What is Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)?
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It is a rare condition that affects the spinal cord, the part of the nervous system that carries the brain instructions to the rest of the body, according to the CDC. AFM is caused by a variety of things such as viruses, environmental toxins, and genetic disorders.
How is it transmitted?
Many of the diseases associated with AFM are transmitted through the digestive system via fecal-hand-oral contamination. The virus then infects the cells of the mouth, nose, and throat. It can incubate for up to 14 days.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of a respiratory illness, but some progress to neurological symptoms. Because it affects the spinal cord, most will suddenly have muscle and muscle weakness. However, some will also have the following symptoms:
– facial droop / weakness
– difficulty moving the eyes
– drooping eyelids or difficulty with swallowing or slurred speech
The most severe symptom of an AFM is a respiratory failure when the nerves affect the muscles that move the lungs.
PHOTO STOCK / Getty ImagesWho is affected?
It predominantly affects children and young adults.
What are the causes?
Common causes include viruses, poliovirus and other enteroviruses, which are commonly transmitted via a mosquito, adenovirus and other environmental toxins and genetic disorders. There are many types of enteroviruses, and a few have been linked to AFM.
How is it diagnosed?
Doctors do a physical exam to determine the involvement of the nervous system. They can also order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at the brain and spinal cord, as well as the assessment of the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. A clinician can also look at nerve conduction, how well electrical impulses are flowing along the nerves.
What is the treatment?
There's no specific treatment for AFM. Supportive care – the same kind of care with the flu – helps, but a clinician may recommend
How can it be prevented?
Make sure your child gets the poliovirus vaccine. It works. Protect against bites from mosquitoes by using repellent in addition to staying indoors at dusk and dawn. To keep viruses at bay, the hands of the sick will often have a chance of getting sick or spreading germs.
Dr. Tambetta Ojong is a family medicine resident at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
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