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ATLANTA – Medical experts at the Atlanta-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention criticize the agency's response to a crippling illness.
Channel 2 Action News reported on the spread of acute flaccid myelitis or AFM.
The CDC has confirmed more than 60 cases in 22 states, including three in Georgia.
[MORE: CDC information on AFM]
His medical advisers said the agency could do more to tackle the health problem
Listen to the doctors talking about their frustrations with the CDC on Channel 2 Action News this morning
The average age of an AFM patient is just four years old.
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A mother from Georgia said her child had fallen asleep sick and woke up paralyzed from the neck.
It's the latest in a series of mysterious diseases that baffling doctors. Two young patients were recently treated with Scottish Rite after becoming ill, then woke partially paralyzed.
Doctors are still trying to determine the causes of acute flaccid myelitis or AFM, but they tell Channel 2 Action that the rare disease resembles polio, in that it can cause muscle weakness or partial paralysis.
The doctors diagnosed Abigail with AFM. She is now in rehab and is making great progress.
"It's rare that an event in a million, a million," said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Across the country, Atlanta-based disease control and prevention centers report 62 confirmed cases of AFD in 22 states and 93 possible cases.
"It's really heartbreaking, no parent should have to live this and what makes it worse, it's not the tubes, it's not the treatments, which is worse, it's do not know what caused them, "said Erica Palacios, mother of Abigail.
Five cases were reported in Georgia in 2016.
Doctors have stated that West Nile virus may be the cause in some cases.
"It's a very frustrating situation, we do not know what it is, although there is a suspicion, a strong suspicion that it is associated with a particular type of virus that we recognize," he said. Fauci.
- Among those diagnosed with AFM since August 2014:
- The cause of most cases of AFM remains unknown.
- We do not know what caused the increase in the number of MFA cases from 2014.
- We have not yet determined who is most likely to develop the AFM, nor the reasons why they might be more exposed.
- We do not yet know the long-term effects of AFM. We know that some patients diagnosed with AFM have recovered quickly, and some continue to be paralyzed and in need of ongoing care.
The CDC is actively studying cases of AFM and monitoring the activity of the disease. We work closely with health care providers and state and local health departments to increase awareness of MFA. Health care providers are encouraged to identify and report suspected cases of AFM to their health services, and to have them send this information to the CDC to help us understand the national burden of AFD. CDC is also actively investigating risk factors and possible causes of this disease.
The activities of the CDC include:
- Urge health care providers to be vigilant with the AFM to their patients and to send information about suspected cases to their health services
- Verification of clinical information on suspected cases of MMA submitted by health services and collaboration with health services and neurologists to categorize cases with the help of a case definition adopted by the Board of Directors. State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)
- Testing of samples, including stool, blood and cerebrospinal fluid, from suspected cases of MFA
- Work with health care providers, experts and state and local health departments to investigate and better understand AFM cases, including potential causes and frequency of onset
- Provide new and up-to-date information to health care providers, health departments, policy makers, the public and partners in various forms, such as journals and scientific meetings, as well as on the AFM website and the media of CDC.
- Use of several research methods to further explore the potential association of AFM with possible causes as well as risk factors for AFM. This involves working with experts to review MRI scans of people over the last 10 years to determine the number of AFM cases identified prior to 2014, update treatment and management protocols, and use multiple academic centers. to simultaneously conduct active surveillance of MFA viruses and respiratory viruses.
© 2018 Cox Media Group.
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