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. 2019 Feb;24(6):1900093.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2019.24.6.1900093.

An increase in reports of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in the United Kingdom, 1 January 2018-21 January 2019: early findings

United Kingdom Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Task Force  1
Affiliations

An increase in reports of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in the United Kingdom, 1 January 2018-21 January 2019: early findings

United Kingdom Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Task Force. Euro Surveill. 2019 Feb.

Abstract

During 2018, the United Kingdom experienced an increase in reports of cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). As at 21 January 2019, 40 cases had been identified with a peak in October 2018. The increase was temporally associated with an upsurge in enterovirus (EV) D68 activity. Enterovirus was detected in 15 cases, mainly from respiratory tract samples; nine were typed as EV-D68. A national task force has been established and investigations are ongoing.

Keywords: Acute flaccid paralysis; EV-D68; United Kingdom; acute flaccid myelitis; enterovirus D68; public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of acute flaccid paralysis cases (n = 40) and enterovirus D68 detections (n = 65) by month, United Kingdom, 1 January–31 December 2018
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of acute flaccid paralysis cases by age and sex, United Kingdom, 1 January to 31 December 2018 (n = 40)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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