Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) Statistics
Surveillance Overview
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has requested states provide information on suspect Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) cases since the fall of 2014, when clusters of pediatric cases with AFM were identified in Colorado and Kansas. At the same time, there was an ongoing nationwide outbreak of Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). States have been reporting suspect AFM cases to CDC and submitting specimens for testing since the fall of 2014.
- Most cases occurred between August and October. At this same time of year, many viruses commonly circulate, including enteroviruses. CDC thinks viruses, including enteroviruses, likely play a role in AFM in the United States. Most reported cases in the U.S. have been in children, but people of any age can get AFM.
- CDC has seen increases in AFM cases, mostly in young children, in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
AFM in the United States
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has requested states provide information on suspect AFM cases since the fall of 2014, when clusters of pediatric cases with AFM were identified in Colorado and Kansas. At the same time, there was an ongoing nationwide outbreak of Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). States have been reporting suspect AFM cases to CDC and submitting specimens for testing since the fall of 2014.
Most cases occurred between August and October. At this same time of year, many viruses commonly circulate, including enteroviruses. CDC thinks viruses, including enteroviruses, likely play a role in AFM in the United States. Most reported cases in the U.S. have been in children, but people of any age can get AFM. CDC has seen increases in AFM cases, mostly in young children, in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
National AFM Case Counts:
- From August 2014 to December 2014, 120 confirmed AFM cases were reported from 34 states.
- In 2015, 22 confirmed AFM cases were reported from 17 states.
- In 2016, 153 confirmed AFM cases were reported from 39 states.
- In 2017, 37 confirmed AFM cases were reported from 16 states.
- In 2018, 236 confirmed AFM cases were reported from 41 states.
- In 2019, 46 confirmed cases were reported from 18 states.
- In 2020, there were 32 confirmed cases in 16 states and the District of Columbia.
- As of August 6, 2021, there have been 13 confirmed cases in 8 states.
AFM in Georgia
Since August 2014, 17 cases of AFM (11 confirmed and 6 probable) have been reported to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Patient ages ranged from infancy to adulthood at weakness onset, and most cases occurred in children younger than 18 years old. Continuing routine surveillance for AFM in Georgia is necessary to determine the burden of this syndrome and establish baseline incidence.
| Year of Report | Number of Cases |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
*Case counts are preliminary and subject to change
References
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About Acute Flaccid Myelitis [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2018. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/acute-flaccid-myelitis/about-afm.html [Accessed August 10, 2018]
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Acute Flaccid Myelitis in the United States: 2015–2017. Tracy Ayers, Adriana Lopez, Adria Lee, Anita Kambhampati, W. Allan Nix, Elizabeth Henderson, Shannon Rogers, William C. Weldon, M. Steven Oberste, James Sejvar, Sarah E. Hopkins, Mark A. Pallansch, Janell A. Routh, Manisha Patel. Pediatrics Nov 2019, 144 (5) e20191619; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2019-1619. URL: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/5/e20191619
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AFM Investigation [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/acute-flaccid-myelitis/afm-surveillance.html [Accessed August 10, 2018]
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Revision to the Standardized Case Definition, Case Classification, and Public Health Reporting for Acute Flaccid Myelitis [Internet]. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists; 2019. Retrieved from: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.cste.org/resource/resmgr/2019ps/final/19-ID-05_AFM_final_7.31.19.pdf [Accessed February 17, 2020]
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Standardized Case Definition for Acute Flaccid Myelitis [Internet]. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists; 2015. Retrieved from: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.cste.org/resource/resmgr/ps/positionstatement2020/Interim-20-ID-04_AFM_Final.pdf [Accessed August 26, 2021]
Page last updated 12/22/2022