On April 2, 2019, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health sent Health Alert #156. The alert said West Virginia had confirmed a case of acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM. The last confirmed case in the state was in 2016.
AFM is a rare but serious condition that affects the nervous system. It makes the muscles and reflexes in the body weak. CDC recognized AFM as a syndrome in 2014, after more reports of sudden limb weakness, and began to track it.
What the state asked of doctors
- Stay alert for AFM in patients of all ages.
- Report suspected cases to the local health department immediately, as the West Virginia Reportable Disease Rule (64 CSR 7) requires.
The state did not say where the patient lived. News reports said it was the third confirmed case since the state began tracking AFM in 2014. At the time, CDC counted four confirmed cases in the U.S. in 2019: in West Virginia, Nebraska, North Carolina and Utah. The U.S. had 228 confirmed cases in 2018. Signs include sudden weakness in an arm or leg, a drooping eyelid or face, and trouble swallowing or slurred speech. By April 30, 2019, the state still had only one confirmed case that year.
For other state alerts on AFM, see Health Advisory #150 (October 2018) and Health Advisory #205 (September 2022).
This guidance is from April 2019. It is kept here as a record and is not current advice. Check current guidance from the CDC or your doctor.
Sources
- West Virginia Bureau for Public Health: Health Alert #156, Acute Flaccid Myelitis (April 2, 2019), formerly at oeps.wv.gov
- WSAZ: Case of paralyzing polio-like illness found in West Virginia (April 2019)
- WV MetroNews: Number of confirmed cases of polio-like disease in West Virginia holds at one (April 30, 2019)