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MARYLAND – Maryland's health officials are worried about a polio-like illness that has appeared in many states of the country. Acute flaccid myelitis, or MAF, is a rare but serious condition that affects the nervous system and can cause weakness of the arms and legs.
Specifically, it affects the area of the spinal cord called "gray matter", which weakens the muscles and reflexes of the body, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC, most people will suddenly feel weakness in their arms or legs and loss of muscle tone and reflexes.
There have been 38 confirmed cases in 16 US states so far this year, most of them in the last two months, the CDC announced at the end of September.
Four cases of possible MFA have been reported in Maryland since the beginning of the year, public health officials told WBAL.
The authorities report that most cases occur in children. Nevertheless, the condition is "very rare", according to the CDC, which indicates that fewer than one in a million people get it every year. Cases have been confirmed in Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, among others.
In addition to weakness in the arms or legs, officials said that people with the condition may have the following symptoms:
- Sagging or weakness of the face
- Speech or difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty moving your eyes
- Drooping eyelids
Some people may be unable to urinate, according to the CDC.
The most serious symptom of AFM is respiratory failure that can occur when the muscles involved in breathing weaken. This may require urgent fan support. In very rare cases, it is possible that the process in the body that triggers the AFM also triggers other serious neurological complications that can lead to death, according to the CDC.
If you have any of these symptoms, health officials have stated that people should consult a doctor.
There is no specific treatment for AFM, but specialists can recommend certain interventions on a case-by-case basis, according to the authorities.
The cause of the AFM is unknown, according to the CDC, which reports that environmental toxins and genetic disorders may contribute. As a precaution, health officials advise people to be aware of their vaccines, wash their hands and protect themselves from mosquito bites.
The symptoms of AFM resemble these diseases:
For more information on what the CDC does, see the AFM Survey page.
With reports from Patch editors Tom Davis and Shannon Antinori.
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Image via Shutterstock.
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