Virus causing acute neurologic illness in children

    • jk
      July 7, 2015 at 8:26 pm

      From Live Science July 7, 2015: “So far, more than 100 children in 34 states have suddenly developed muscle weakness or paralysis in their arms or legs, a condition known as acute flaccid myelitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

      From Wikipedia: “An October 21 report in Neurology News described outbreaks in California and Colorado, suggesting that the number of cases might be 100 or more nationwide. Diagnosis included a good medical history, MRI imaging, and the elimination of transverse myelitis or Guillain-Barré syndrome as potential causes.”

      One key to diagnosis and helpful in eliminating GBS is the presence of spinal cord lesion grey matter on MRI exam.

      In fact, Wikipedia reports: “The CDC requested physicians provide information about cases meeting four criteria: patients diagnosed after August 1, 2014, who are no older than 21 years of age, showing acute onset of focal limb weakness, with a spinal cord lesion largely restricted to gray matter visualized by MRI.”

    • July 15, 2015 at 7:47 pm

      Sure sounds like GBS, doesn’t it? And, umm, the definitive screening for GBS is a lumbar puncture, is it not?

      Did these poor kids have their vaccinations before the onset?

    • jk
      July 16, 2015 at 10:21 am

      The CDC says- “Nasopharyngeal specimens were positive for rhinovirus/enterovirus in six out of eight patients that were tested. Of the six positive specimens, four were typed as EV-D68, and the other two are pending typing results. Testing of other specimens is still in process. Eight out of nine children have been confirmed to be up to date on polio vaccinations. Epidemiologic and laboratory investigations of these cases are ongoing.”

      And there is this from the CDC regarding non-polio enterovirus- “Prevention & Treatment There is no vaccine to protect you from non-polio enterovirus infection.”

    • GH
      July 16, 2015 at 12:47 pm

      Azgold, there may be similarities to GBS, but this is not GBS. GBS was ruled out.

      Here is some recent information on the outbreak:

      http://myelitis.org/resources/tma-blog/clinical-care-and-management/acute-flaccid-myelitis-understanding-recent-outbreak/

      This disorder is believed to be triggered by a particular virus. It is not caused by vaccines. Encouraging irrational fear of vaccines is not helpful.

    • July 20, 2015 at 10:32 pm

      Sorry, GH – wasn’t trying to be a fear monger. Was curious why such young kids were suddenly having this problem.

    • July 20, 2015 at 10:36 pm

      Just read the article that GH linked to – wow! Those poor kids. It sounds pretty awful. Hope they are able to find a treatment for the virus.