On December 31, 2017, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health sent Health Advisory #142 to health care providers, hospitals and other health care facilities. The topic was acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM.
AFM was first recognized in the United States in 2014. Up to the date of the advisory, West Virginia had two confirmed cases, both in 2016. No cases were reported in 2017. The state still asked providers to stay alert for AFM in all age groups.
The advisory described AFM as a sudden onset of weakness in one or more limbs after a respiratory illness or an illness with fever. An MRI shows distinct changes in the gray matter of the spinal cord.
What the state asked of doctors
- Report every suspected case to the local health department as soon as AFM is suspected, whatever the lab results show. Use the CDC patient summary form and send copies of the spinal cord and brain MRI reports.
- Collect samples as early as possible, best on the day limb weakness starts. The samples were spinal fluid, whole blood, serum and two stool samples taken more than 24 hours apart.
- Local health departments were to work with the state Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology on each investigation and on sample collection.
The state issued later advisories on AFM. See Health Advisory #150 and Health Advisory 205: Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM).
This guidance is from December 2017. It is kept here as a record and is not current advice. Check current guidance from the CDC or your doctor.