Mysterious paralysis cases reported in the US again

mysterious-paralysis-cases-oregon-2016

Three cases of the paralysis have occurred in Oregon since August 2016. The episodes are the first since series of such events were reported in 2014 across the US.

The disease, named acute flaccid myelitis, has affected two children and one adult, from the eastern Oregon and the Willamette Valley. All the individuals were hospitalized, according to the state officials. 

"This is not something that happens very often. But we want to detect it if it's there," explained Dr. Richard Leman of the Oregon Public Health Division. "

According to the Center for Disease Control and Infection, series of such cases have been reported in 2014. Last year, it appeared the number of patients decreased, but in 2016, almost 90 cases were reported across 33 states. So far, nine people affected were from Washington. Only one death was reported so far.

The illness itself can not be explained for now, as the experts are unsure as to what occurs in the body to cause the paralysis. Possible causes include the enteroviruses, the West Nile and other similar viruses. According to Dr. Leman, it is suspected that one person in Oregon was affected by the West Nile.

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Video credit: Interesting Facts

Disease symptoms include a weakness or even a paralysis of at least one of the limbs. The medical staff can only provide comfort care, as the illness has no known cure for the time being. People get better, although they don't make a full recovery

One of the children, affected by the illness in 2014, had a paralysis in her right leg and arm and has lost sight in the left eye. Despite undergoing an extensive treatment, she still hasn't fully recovered.

She's vastly improved, said her mother, Mikell Sheehan, but isn't 100 percent.

"She still has severe nerve damage in her right leg and arm and still cannot feel them. But she can use them," said Mikell Sheehan, the child's mother.

According to media reports, in 2014, the enterovirus D68, was associated with 14 fatal outcomes.

Featured image credit: Interesting Facts

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2 Comments

  1. “Guillaume Barre Syndrome (GBS) is now the most important cause of acute flaccid paralysis.”
    I’m willing to bet these people had a vaccination of one kind or another within 4-6 weeks of the onset of symptoms, and flu vaccine has been causing this kind of thing for decades without it being reported. The exception was years ago when all but one person who received the “annual flu vaccine” died of GBS, the most virulent form of it. One person survived, albeit in a wheelchair for life.

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