In an update in the investigation of children across the United States who developed acute flaccid myelitis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says since August 2, 2014, there has been 107 verified reports in 34 states.
Some of the findings of the investigation shows that the median age of the children was about 7 years, almost all of them were hospitalized; some were put on breathing machines, most patients had fever and/or respiratory illness before onset of neurologic symptoms and about two thirds of the children who have been observed (median 19 days) after their illness reported some improvement in symptoms, while about one third showed no improvement. Only one of the children has fully recovered.
The CDC has tested specimens from these patients for a wide range of pathogens. The specific causes of this illness are still under investigation.
Concerning whether the Enterovirus D68 is linked to this syndrome, they say enteroviruses rarely cause encephalitis and myelitis. Rather, they most commonly cause mild illness, and sometimes aseptic meningitis.
