Spreading Respiratory Virus May Cause Polio-like Paralysis: CDC

[rangerrebew]

Newsmax

Spreading Respiratory Virus May Cause Polio-like Paralysis: CDC


Friday, September 26, 2014 07:12 PM
 
Health officials are investigating nine cases of muscle weakness or paralysis in Colorado children and whether the culprit might be a virus causing severe respiratory illness across the country.
 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday sent doctors an alert about the polio-like cases and said the germ - enterovirus 68 - was detected in four out of eight of the sick children who had a certain medical test. The status of the ninth case is unclear.


 The virus can cause paralysis but other germs can, too. Health officials don't know whether the virus caused any of the children's arm and leg weaknesses or whether it's just a germ they coincidentally picked up.


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 "That's why we want more information," and for doctors to report similar cases, said the CDC's Dr. Jane Seward.


 The cases occurred within the last two months. All nine children are being treated at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, and most are from the Denver area. A hospital spokeswoman said the patients' families didn't want to talk to the media.


 The nine children had fever and respiratory illness about two weeks before developing varying degrees of limb weakness.

 None seems to have a weak immune system or other conditions that might predispose them to severe illness, but the cases are still being investigated, Seward said.

 Investigators don't think it's polio - eight of the nine children are up to date on polio vaccinations. It's not known whether the limb weakness or paralysis is temporary or will be long-lasting.


 The cases come amid an unusual wave of severe respiratory illness from enterovirus 68.

 The germ is not new - it was first identified in 1962 and has caused clusters of illness before, including in Georgia and Pennsylvania in 2009 and Arizona in 2010. Because it's not routinely tested for, it's possible the bug spread in previous years but was never distinguished from colds caused by other germs.


 This year, the virus has gotten more attention because it has been linked to hundreds of severe illnesses. Beginning last month, a flood of sick children began to hit hospitals in Kansas City, Missouri, and Chicago - kids with trouble breathing, some needing oxygen or more extreme care such as a breathing machine. Many - but not all - had asthma before the infection.


 The CDC has been testing a limited number of specimens from very sick children around the country, and as of Thursday reported 277 people in 40 states and the District of Columbia with enterovirus 68. So far no deaths have been attributed to the virus, but Seward said 15 still are being investigated.


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 Health officials know enterovirus can cause paralysis. Published reports count at least two U.S. children who were paralyzed and died and were found to have the virus in their spinal fluid. One was a New Hampshire 5-year-old who died in 2008. Details are scant on the second case, which happened many years earlier.


 Earlier this year, Stanford University researchers said they had identified polio-like illnesses in about 20 California children over about 18 months. Two tested positive for enterovirus 68. CDC officials say it's still not clear if the virus was a factor in those cases.


 Paralysis is a rare complication of enterovirus 68 infection, but with so many more cases of enterovirus being reported this year, it may not be surprising to see that problem, said Dr. Larry Wolk, chief medical officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.


 The CDC is asking doctors to report patients 21 or younger who developed limb weakness since August 1 and who have had an MRI exam that showed abnormalities in the nerve tissue in the spinal cord.


 Seward said a test that showed the germ in a patient's spinal fluid would be good evidence that the virus was causing paralysis. Unfortunately, lab tests of spinal fluid often fail to identify bugs like enterovirus 68, even if they're present, she added.

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[mountaineer]

Any established connection yet between the flood of illegals and the uptick in virus cases?

[flowers]

Any established connection yet between the flood of illegals and the uptick in virus cases?

I haven't seen a thing about it.  And we won't.

[rangerrebew]

I haven't seen a thing about it.  And we won't.

Certainly you're not suggesting the Obama administration would keep such things hidden?

[flowers]

Certainly you're not suggesting the Obama administration would keep such things hidden?

Of course not. 

[ABX]

Any established connection yet between the flood of illegals and the uptick in virus cases?

That is a good question that I've wondered about, but in my digging, I am not sure this is the case.

First is the virus blooms. They are happening all over the country. This would make sense due to the transportation of illegals around the country. There is one problem though, none of the blooms of this virus thus far are around entrance points or any holding facilities. Those areas have strangely not been impacted.

Second is the demographic of those who are contracting the virus, almost all children. This again, could make sense when considering the large influx of children and sending them to various schools. However, what you aren't seeing is the virus being contracted by illegal care workers, those who are at the holding facilities, or anyone else who has had contact with the illegals.

Third is the history of the virus. Usually one would expect viruses to pop up or grow fastest in low income, low vaccination, areas which makes sense from where the illegals come from. However, this virus was first discovered in the United States in the 1960s and there was another major outbreak in Asia in the 80s. I can't find reference to any major outbreak in Mexico or Central America where a majority of these illegal are coming from.

Viruses are tricky little bastards. They know no borders or nationality. This very well may be a domestic virus or brought in by someone traveling or from another country. The way it is popping up randomly across the country does make one wonder where the common source is. It isn't showing up in one concentrated area and spreading out logically. 

[flowers]

That is a good question that I've wondered about, but in my digging, I am not sure this is the case.

First is the virus blooms. They are happening all over the country. This would make sense due to the transportation of illegals around the country. There is one problem though, none of the blooms of this virus thus far are around entrance points or any holding facilities. Those areas have strangely not been impacted.

Second is the demographic of those who are contracting the virus, almost all children. This again, could make sense when considering the large influx of children and sending them to various schools. However, what you aren't seeing is the virus being contracted by illegal care workers, those who are at the holding facilities, or anyone else who has had contact with the illegals.

Third is the history of the virus. Usually one would expect viruses to pop up or grow fastest in low income, low vaccination, areas which makes sense from where the illegals come from. However, this virus was first discovered in the United States in the 1960s and there was another major outbreak in Asia in the 80s. I can't find reference to any major outbreak in Mexico or Central America where a majority of these illegal are coming from.

Viruses are tricky little bastards. They know no borders or nationality. This very well may be a domestic virus or brought in by someone traveling or from another country. The way it is popping up randomly across the country does make one wonder where the common source is. It isn't showing up in one concentrated area and spreading out logically. 

great info, thanks

[olde north church]

..

Second is the demographic of those who are contracting the virus, almost all children. This again, could make sense when considering the large influx of children and sending them to various schools. However, what you aren't seeing is the virus being contracted by illegal care workers, those who are at the holding facilities, or anyone else who has had contact with the illegals.

...

There is a possibility it's not a "new" virus but an old one with different symptoms.  If people say over 15 or 12 or 18 have been previously exposed, they shouldn't get it.  It could be be a mutation of a vaccine virus.

[ABX]

There is a possibility it's not a "new" virus but an old one with different symptoms.  If people say over 15 or 12 or 18 have been previously exposed, they shouldn't get it.  It could be be a mutation of a vaccine virus.

I would venture to guess that you are on the money on the first part. EV68 may be somewhat benign however, it may have a new mutation that hasn't been isolated but has started this spread again. I doubt it is a 'vaccine virus' because it is a known virus that isn't commonly vaccinated for (at all possibly, I'll have to check on that*).  Also, I'm not aware of a 'vaccine virus' spreading from vaccinated sources. The most that has happened is it starts to mutate to survive the 'herd immunity', such as what the flu does almost every year. One of the reasons why vaccines are important is the more who are vaccinated, the less a virus has a chance to spread and mutate to overcome the vaccine. The flu rapidly mutates and spreads because vaccination rates are slow. Also, the airborne transport factor and how long the virus lives outside the body is a big factor. Things like TB and Polio have all but been eradicated in the US because of herd immunity. It just doesn't have a place to grow and mutate in the population.

*- updated, there is not a vaccine for EV68. http://www.kmbc.com/news/childrens-mercy-hospital-takes-extra-precautions-after-ev68-outbreak/27798256