One of three children being treated for rare illness is from Washington County
UPMC-Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is treating three children suspected of having an illness that causes sudden paralysis, one of whom is from Washington County.
Acute flaccid myelitis is a condition that affects a person’s nervous system, specifically the spinal cord. Since August 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen an increased number of people across the United States with AFM, with most patients being children. The patients’ symptoms have been most comparable to those of certain viruses, including poliovirus, non-polio enteroviruses, adenoviruses and West Nile virus, according to a release from the Allegheny County Health Department.
“It is rare,” said Bernadette Burden, a spokeswoman for the CDC.
The poliovirus did not cause AFM in the three suspected cases at Children’s, which have been treated since Tuesday. The other two children are from Allegheny County.
For most of these cases, the CDC has not been able to confirm a cause. The long-term effects of AFM are also not clear. Some patients diagnosed with AFM have recovered quickly, and some continue to have paralysis and require ongoing care, the health department said. The cases being treated by Children’s are suspected, and the CDC is working to confirm if the patients actually have AFM.
All told, 362 cases of AFM have been reported across the United States from August 2014 to September 2018, according to the CDC. Despite the number of cases, the CDC emphasizes that fewer than 1 in 1 million people get AFM every year.
The Allegheny County Health Department is working closely with the CDC, the state Department of Health and Children’s to evaluate the suspected cases, and to provide information to the public. The CDC is monitoring the situation nationally.
The health department is urging people to make sure they are vaccinated against polio, and protect themselves from mosquito bites by using mosquito repellent, staying indoors at dusk and dawn, and removing standing or stagnant water near your home.
While the CDC doesn’t know whether it’s effective in preventing AFM, washing your hands often with soap and water is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs, the health department urged.
To report a potential AFM case in Allegheny County, call 412-687-2243.