Increase in Acute Flaccid Myelitis — United States, 2018

In August 2018, CDC noted an increased number of reports of patients having symptoms clinically compatible with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare condition characterized by rapid onset of flaccid weakness in one or more limbs and spinal cord gray matter lesions, compared with August 2017. Since 2014, CDC has conducted surveillance for AFM using a standardized case definition (1,2). An Epi-X* notice was issued on August 23, 2018, to increase clinician awareness and provide guidance for case reporting.

[1]  J. Sejvar,et al.  Acute Flaccid Myelitis in the United States, August-December 2014: Results of Nationwide Surveillance. , 2016, Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

[2]  D. Feikin,et al.  Acute Neurologic Illness of Unknown Etiology in Children — Colorado, August–September 2014 , 2014, MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report.