Acute Flaccid Myelitis is Rare, but Growing; CDC Wants You to Learn More About It

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is devoting more resources to gathering and sharing intelligence about acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) as the number of cases continues to rise across the United States. Next up in the CDC’s information campaign will be a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) call next Tuesday, November 13, 2 to 3 pm Eastern. AFM, whose symptoms have been likened to a number of other viruses, including polio, tends to affect children most often, though recently there have been cases confirmed in adults. Complaints—which may be difficult to discern at first among the youngest patients—include facial droop/weakness; difficulty in moving the eyes; drooping eyelids; difficulty in swallowing; slurred speech; and weakness in the arms or legs. The most severe and dangerous symptom is respiratory failure, which can occur when the muscles involved with breathing become weak. The CDE COCA call, Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM): What Health Care Providers Need to Know, will be led by Adriana Lopez, MPH, an epidemiologist on the CDC’s AFM Surveillance Team; Janell Routh, MD, MHS, a medical officer assigned to the team; and team leader Manish Patel, MD, MS. Click here to learn more or for instructions on accessing the call.