Why the study?
With another peak AFM season expected in fall 2020 and areas of uncertainty remaining regarding etiology and factors driving biennial increases, summarizing current understanding and outlining surveillance and research priorities was needed.
Highlights the biennial pattern of acute flaccid myelitis in the US and emphasizes the need for continued surveillance and research into its etiology.
Anticipate AFM surge this fall; extends biennial surveillance but leaves etiology and prevention unresolved.
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a serious neurologic condition that causes limb weakness or paralysis in previously healthy children. Since clusters of cases were first reported in 2014, nationwide surveillance has demonstrated sharp increases in AFM cases in the United States every 2 years, most occurring during late summer and early fall. Given this current biennial pattern, another peak AFM season is expected during fall 2020 in the United States. Scientific understanding of the etiology and the factors driving the biennial increases in AFM has advanced rapidly in the past few years, although areas of uncertainty remain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and AFM partners are focused on answering key questions about AFM epidemiology and mechanisms of disease. This article summarizes the current understanding of AFM etiology and outlines priorities for surveillance and research as we prepare for a likely surge in cases in 2020.
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Kidd et al. (2020) studied this question.
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