Spokane County child being investigated for rare disease with polio-like symptoms

Health officials are investigating whether a Spokane County child has acute flaccid myelitis, a mysterious disease that leads to polio-like symptoms.

The child is among three new cases being investigated in Washington. The disease, also known as AFM, was confirmed in eight children in the state earlier this month.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 120 children with a median age of 7 were diagnosed with AFM from Aug. 1, 2014, to the end of that year. The number of cases fell sharply in 2015, to 21. But there’s been a resurgence in cases this year, with 89 people in 33 states confirmed to have the disease.

The Spokane case has not yet been confirmed to be AFM.

AFM is a rare condition that affects the nervous system, specifically the spinal cord, according to the Washington Department of Health. Symptoms can range from sudden weakness in a limb to paralysis, with the most severe symptom being respiratory failure caused by weakening of the muscles involved in breathing.

The cause of the disease is unknown.

“Many suspect that enterovirus D-68 – which gave hundreds of people a severe cold in 2014 – also caused the paralysis outbreak that year,” according to a story in the Los Angeles Times. Researchers say it’s possible enterovirus D-68 has mutated to become more likely to paralyze those infected, the newspaper said.

But many viruses and germs are linked to AFM, including common germs that can cause colds, sore throats and respiratory infections. AFM can also be caused by poliovirus; mosquito-borne viruses such as West Nile or Zika virus; and autoimmune conditions.

There is no specific treatment for AFM, which varies in the severity of the symptoms. Patients may have some recovery of function with time and through rehabilitation, said Dr. Jim Owens, pediatric neurologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

The disease most often strikes children. The eight children confirmed to have the disease are ages 3 to 14 and live in King, Pierce, Franklin, Whatcom and Snohomish counties.

The state Health Department is working with the Centers for Disease Control to investigate the cluster of AFM cases. Public Health Seattle & King County and Seattle Children’s Hospital are also involved in the investigation.

Health officials are trying to determine what caused the disease in individuals and if there are any links between cases, said Julie Graham, state Department of Health spokeswoman. The disease is not spread from person to person, she said.

The CDC says being up-to-date on childhood vaccinations, including poliovirus, is one way to protect against diseases that can cause acute flaccid myelitis.

Using mosquito repellent and staying indoors at dawn and dusk to protect children from mosquito-borne viruses, such as West Nile, also reduce the risk of AFM, the CDC says on its website. Removing areas of stagnant water where mosquitoes breed is also recommended.