Minnesota Senator, Health Officials Press For National Tracking Of Rare Polio-Like Illness In Children
Mandatory reporting is required for diseases like West Nile Virus and flu and improves tracking, health officials say. The CDC reports 155 suspected cases of acute flaccid myelitis this year. "We've learned more these cases from Facebook and support groups than from the CDC,” said Mehdi Ayouche of Chanhassen, Minn. Her daughter is one of seven Minnesota kids who have contracted the illness.
The Star Tribune:
Klobuchar, Minn. Health Officials Call For Greater Tracking Of AFM Cases
Sen. Amy Klobuchar and state health leaders on Thursday called for mandatory national reporting of cases of acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, the polio-like disorder that has stricken as many as seven Minnesota children this year. Mandatory reporting by doctors and hospitals could lead to improved tracking and understanding of the mysterious, paralyzing condition, according to a top Minnesota infectious disease official. It is already required for a number of diseases, including West Nile virus and influenza, but not for AFM. (Olson, 10/25)
The Star Tribune:
Handful Of Cases Of Rare Polio-Like Illness Thrust Minnesota Into Spotlight
Six or seven Minnesota children have been diagnosed this year with AFM, a polio-like disorder that attacks the spongy core of the spinal cord. The local cluster has renewed national attention to the disorder, which federal officials started tracking in 2014 after outbreaks in California and Colorado, while forcing parents to confront the realities of prevention and treatment. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 155 suspected cases in the nation so far this year, but it hasn’t isolated the viral, genetic or environmental causes. (Olson, 10/25)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Another Georgia Toddler Treated For Rare, Polio-Like Illness AFM
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported it has confirmed 62 cases of AFM in 22 states so far this year. In Georgia so far this year, there have been an estimated three confirmed, or probable, cases of AFM with two possible other cases under investigation, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. In 2017, there were 33 confirmed cases in 16 states, the CDC reported. (Prince, 10/25)
