Virus that causes paralyzing illness is spiking in the U.S., wastewater data shows

Polio-like illness is on the rise again in the U. S as a respiratory virus that often paralyzes children spreads widely. 
 
Analyses of samples of wastewater have identified a marked increase in an enterovirus known as D68 which in very special occasions has been associated with acute flaccid myelitis or AFM. The illness is common with the nervous system and it could lead to paralysis or severe weakness in the arms and legs. This is most commonly observed in children that are young in age. 
 
“We are finding EV-D68 nucleic acids in wastewater across the country now and the concentrations are rising,” WastewaterSCAN program director and a civil and environmental engineering professor at Stanford University Alexandria Boehm said. 
 
That’s the first clue to suggest that the nation might see an increase in AFM this year, said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and author of “Crisis Averted: What the World Isn’t Telling Us: The Hidden Science of Fighting Outbreaks. 
 
 
“The second clue, “The time of year has arrived”, she said. 
 

Traditionally, more cases of AFM occur in September but year-end prevalence has also been high. 
 
In fact, anyone who has probably ever had colds probably had an enterovirus; they are widespread viruses. More often than not, the viruses manifest in merely flu-like symptoms like a runny nose, cough, head, and general slight fatigue. 
 
The D68 enterovirus strain turned detrimental from 2014 when the U. S experienced a first instance of an increase in Pediatric AFM. In the same year, diagnosis was made on one hundred and twenty kids. 
 
Paralysis as a result of stroke has various types, and there is no proper cure for it; neither is there any special treatment. Despite years of rigorous PT most are left with devastating effects of paralysis for the rest of their lives. 
 
A viral mystery 
 
While several tens of cases have been observed each year since then, three mass foci of AFM infection have been observed: in 2016, 153 persons became ill, and in 2018, 238 persons were affected. 
 
The pattern halted in 2020 and this was when the nation locked down because of Covid pandemic which significantly slowed the viruses spread. The records of such incidents were as follows: Only 32 cases of such occurrences were reported that year. D68 resumed spreading on 2022, again after the relaxation of the lockdown measures. . 
 
Interestingly, a corresponding increase in AFM cases didn’t happen soon after these two presumptions were made. 
 
‘We saw the virus that was previously driving the AFM cases but did not observe the distinct AFM cases related to it,’ said Dr Kevin Messacar, an infectious disease MD at Children’s Hospital Colorado, who treated some of the initial AFM cases back in 2014. 
 
That is definitely a mystery any virologist would be interested in. Each time the gurus attempt to map viral behavior, the bugs are scheming and planning several strategies further ahead. 
 
Perhaps we are now seeing more cases of virus that compares to the previous form, or there are many people in USA exposed and have some immunity level against D68. “That I think is something that we’re still working out,” Messacar Said. 
 
As this article was being written, 13 AFM cases have been reported this year 2024 based on a survey conducted by the CDC. According to the records, 758 cases have been reported since 2014. 
 
The message conveyed is that due to a virus hundreds of families and their children could not get a proper life, as they are paralyzed. 

Unfortunately, they are able to get some amount of recovery after years of going through physical therapy. 
 
It was Friday Night, the Kagolanu family from Los Altos, California, were into a game of Monopoly with youngsters including 7-year old Vishnu when the boy started tilting his head to the side. Vishnu also agrees to the fact that even though, he was losing the game, it was not an attention seeking behavior at all. 
 
’It was like my dad said, ‘Hey, what are you doing? Move your head back straight,’ Vishnu, now 17, told the BBC. And then I realized, I just thought, I can’t do that but I need to make a change so that’s what I did. 
 
After an hour Vishnu’s arms and legs became completely paralysed. ‘I could not lift myself of that floor,’ he bit off. 
 
Vishnu was one among the AFM patients who were diagnosed in 2014. At that time, nobody had made the correlation between D68 and the “mystery illness. ” 
 
Following are the views expressed by Saila Kagolanu, Vishnu’s mother: “We didn’t know what was happening or what was wrong with Vishnu Even the doctors could not find out what was going on. ” “It was the most horrible time for me. ” 
 
Specialists who treated Vishnu told his parents that the boy may not be able to move his arms and legs again. The end of Vishnu was worse after getting to know that his condition had poor prognosis. He did seem to excel during those times when he was the ‘king of the playground’ sort of speak at least in terms of sports and other physical activities. 
 
He added that ‘seeing my legs go progressively smaller every day’ was painful. "I couldn’t move. " 
 
Vishnu had to go through several physiotherapy sessions to be able to walk again after many years of being a wheelchair-bound. That was successful. That’s about it for doctors if they cannot do anything else for the patient. His right shoulder drop and relax. 
 
Testing a possible treatment 
 
“We all get really frustrated every time we get to this point, and we don’t have antiviral medicines that are readily available,” said Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “We do not much to provide to these kids. ” 
 
Creech and his colleagues are doing their best towards finding a solution. They have started safety trials of a monoclonal antibody that if the best-case scenario is to be believed would put a halt on D68. 
 
“In mouse studies, it prevented infection that would lead to AFM,” Creech said. It is for this reason that the study is expected to go for years before the treatment can be deemed safe and effective. 
 
However, people like Vishnu Kagolanu young and energetic like him are trying to live as best as they can and inspire other patients of AFM. More recently he began a non-profit organization based in SC called Neurostronger, the purpose of which is to seek funding and advocate for kids with neurologic disorders. 
 
As a child growing up with AFM, Kagolanu said it wasn’t easy. “But at the same time, there are how it is possible to avoid some of those hurdles. There are how it is possible to have fun. ”