The US Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 80 cases of acute flaccid myelitis, a Polio-like illness that has left children paralyzed. As of Nov. 5, 2018, 80 cases out of 219 were found across 25 states with the remaining cases still under investigation.
The disease was an area of concern back in 2014, when an outbreak affected 120 people. Acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, is a rare disease that affects the spinal cord, a major component of the nervous system that sends messages to and from the brain. Symptoms include sudden (acute) weakness in the arms or legs, loss of muscle tone and decreased or absent reflexes. AFM can also affect nerves used to control the head and neck which can lead to facial weakness, drooping of the eyelids and difficulty swallowing, speaking or moving the eyes. The average age of patients diagnosed with AFM is 4 years old. The CDC received information on 33 confirmed cases of AFM in 2017, 149 cases in 2016, 22 cases in 2015, and 120 cases in the latter part of 2014, CNN reported. On Nov. 5, 2018, 404 cases were reported since 2014.
Diagnosing AFM
AFM is hard to diagnose because its symptoms are very similar to other neurological diseases like acute disseminate encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a disease that causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord; transverse myelitis which also causes inflammation of the spinal cord and Guillian-Barre syndrome (GBS), a rare syndrome in which they body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system (the part of the nervous system that carries signals from the brain to the muscles). To diagnose AFM, the patient will undergo a physical exam, an MRI of the spine, testing of their cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and tests to check nerve speed and muscle response to messages sent from nerves.
Causes of AFM
There a few possible causes of AFM such as certain viruses like the poliovirus (virus spread from person to person contact that invades the brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis) and non-polio enteroviruses; West Nile virus (WNV), commonly spread through mosquito bites in the summer and fall and adenoviruses (virus that causes cold-like symptoms, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea and pink eye). Environmental toxins and genetic disorders are also thought to cause AFM. Most of the time, the cause of the patient’s affliction is not identifiable.
AFM Case in Georgia
As reported by CNN.com, 2-year-old Abigail Palacios of Columbus, Georgia began to show signs of the illness in Sept. Her mother, Erica Palacios, was taking care of four sick children at the time, all of whom came down with a cold. Only Abigail continued to get worse even with her mother’s diligent efforts to keep her children healthy. Palacios noticed after a few days that her daughter’s arm had gone limp and immediately took her to the hospital. Doctors were stumped by Abigail’s. Eventually, Abigail couldn’t move below the neck.
Doctors sent Abigail to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. There, Abigail needed breathing and feeding tubes in the ICU. She was later transferred to the Inpatient Rehabilitation Program at Scottish Rite Hospital. Abigail later regained some movement in one hand she can now hold her had up and walk with assistance. Abigail will still need a wheelchair when she goes home, much to the 2-year-old’s confusion.
The long-term prognosis for AFM is still unknown but there is hope for the children affected. Kids are known to recover quickly and those affected by AFM do but some show weakness going forward.
Medical practitioners urge people to seek medical care if a family member suddenly develops weakness or loss of muscle tone in arms or legs.
Banner Image Source: CNN.com