Acute flaccid paralysis in an infant

Abstract

The incidence rate of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in India was 12/100,000 people, whereas it is 0.71/million in the United States. The incidence of nonpolio AFM has increased over the years.[1] We present a young infant with a 3-day fever followed by irritability and paucity of movements of the left lower limb for 24 hours. The initial laboratory evaluation was negative for bacterial meningitis. However, a polymerase chain reaction was used to detect enterovirus ribonucleic acid in cerebrospinal fluid. The patient's condition improved as a result of supportive care. This case shows a serious nonpolio enteroviral central nerve infection that presents as acute flaccid paralysis.

Keywords

• acute flaccid myelitis
• acute flaccid paralysis
• acute flaccid myelitis syndrome
• enterovirus
• myelitis