Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a condition that affects the nervous system, specifically the spinal cord. Most people who experience AFM will have limb weakness, but some people also experience facial droop/weakness, difficulty moving the eyes, drooping eyelids, and difficulty swallowing or slurred speech. Numbness or tingling is rare, and some people experience pain in their arms and legs. Severe symptoms include respiratory failure as a result of breathing muscles that become weak. AFM has no specific treatment, but interventions may be ordered by a doctor on a case-by-case basis.
AFM has a variety of causes, but viral infections such as enteroviruses (polio and non-polio), West Nile Virus (and viruses in the same family), herpes viruses, and adenoviruses have been attributed to the cause of AFM. You can prevent AFM by staying up to date on all recommended vaccinations, including poliovirus. You can also protect yourself and your family from mosquito-borne viruses that can cause AFM by using mosquito repellent and staying indoors at dawn and dusk. Other ways you can protect yourself from causes of AFM (and, let’s face it, other gross things) are:
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AuthorOPHIE records and analyzes data from disease investigations, identifies risk factors, and provides education on disease prevention in Nevada. Archives
November 2018
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