Acute flaccid myelitis of unknown etiology in California, 2012-2015

The authors presented a retrospective study based on demographics, race, ethnicity, signs, lab results, MRI results of 59 patients identified between June 2012 and July 2015 who presented symptoms that they characterized as Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM). Of 45 tested only 9 had EV D68; certain others had other enterviruses. Polio was excluded in all patients, but almost all had limb weakness or paralysis and typical prodromal upper respiratory or gastrointestinal illness, and clinically, and by MRI, this illness was essentially indistinguishable from polio. (Order of authorship in the original publication: Van Haren, Ayscue, Waubant.)

(Thanks to Juan Weiss for this reference and its interpretation.)