Montana has 1 confirmed case of mysterious paralyzing illness, another possible

Nov. 14--One Gallatin County resident has been confirmed as having a rare medical condition that causes limb weakness and another one is under investigation.

Jon Ebelt, spokesman for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, addressed both cases of acute flaccid myelitis Tuesday. Both patients are adults, Ebelt said, although AFM is more commonly found in children.

The report came as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday said that as of Nov. 5, 90 cases of AFM had been confirmed in 27 states and another 162 patient cases are under investigation.

"Most were children, particularly between (ages) 2 and 8, about half male," said Dr. Nancy Messenier, director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases during a telephone briefing.

Almost all of the patients reported fever or respiratory illness in the three to 10 days before the onset of limb weakness, Messenier said. In almost all patients an upper limb was involved, and about half had only upper limb involvement.

According to the CDC, the rare condition affects less than one in a million people in the United States. It affects a person's nervous system, specifically the spinal cord, causing weakness in arms and legs.

The number curve looks similar to the one seen in 2014, which saw 120 confirmed AFM cases, and 2016, which had 149 patients, Messenier said. To date, the CDC is unaware of any patients who died from the condition.

Physicians who suspect a patient has AFM sends the medical information and radiological images to the state health department. That information is forwarded to the CDC, whose staff consults with neurologists and AFM experts to confirm the cases. The process can take between a week and a few weeks.

Taking care of the patient is the No. 1 priority for doctors, Messenier said.

"We want doctors to treat patients and consult experts without waiting for classification results," she said.

While the CDC has learned a lot about AFM since 2014, Messenier said, what exactly triggers the condition remains unknown.

"It may be one of the viruses we've already detected, one we haven't or a virus kicking off another process and triggering AFM," she said, adding that all possibilities are being scrutinized.

Another possibility is that a pathogen triggers an immune response in the body that causes damage to the spinal cord. This time of year, many children develop fever and respiratory symptoms, Messenier said.

"We're trying to figure out what the triggers are that would cause someone to develop AFM," she said.

The CDC has taken a number of steps in regard to AFM. It is working with health departments to increase physician awareness and track cases. The federal agency is enlarging its network of neurologists to assist with and confirm cases.

It has created a task force of national experts in multiple disciplines to help with research and further understand why AFM affects some children and not others.

Messenier added a personal note at the end of the briefing.

"As a mom, I know what it's like to be scared for your child," she said. "CDC is a science-driven agency. Right now, the science doesn't give us an answer. That's why we at CDC, along with all our partners, will keep looking for answers."

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