2. Specific learning objectives
Definition of AFP
Anatomic localization
Etiological agents
Clinical features
Investigations
Treatment
AFP surveillance
3. Definition
Sudden onset of weakness or paralysis in a previously normal limb in a patient
aged less than 15 years age.
4. AFP is a lower motor neuron lesion.
LMN : lesion of the nerve fibres travelling from the anterior horn of the spinal cord
to the associated muscle(s)
5. Anatomical localization & Etiological
agents
Anatomical site etiology
Anterior horn cell Poliovirus, non-polio enterovirus, Japanese B encephalitis
Dorsal root ganglia Herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, rabies
Spinal cord Acute transverse myelitis, parasitic infestations (schistosoma,
cysticercus, echinococcus), space occupying lesions, anterior
spinal artery syndrome, trauma, postcardiovascular surgery
vascular complications
8. Disease Onset Progressi
on
Topography DTRs Sens
ory
feat
ures
Bladder
& Bowel
involve
ment
Fever
at
onset
Systemic
features
Etiological
clues
Polio &
non-polio
enterovir
ses
2-3
weeks
Hours to
few days
Asymmetric pure
motor involvement
with proximal > distal
- - Rare + Meningeal
signs, non-
specific
prodromal
illness, hand
foot & mouth
disease in
non-polio
group
Attack
precipitate
d by IM
injection
Rabies Mont
hs to
years
2-4 Symmetric,
ascending,
generalized
- + Occasio
al
+ Bite mark H/o
animal bite
GBS Hours
to
days
2-4 Symmetric,
ascending,
generalized, cranial
neuropathy
(Commonly 7th ),
occasionally early
respiratory weakness
- + Occasio
al
+- Meningeal
signs
occasionally
Preceding
prodromal
illness or
vaccination
9. Disease Onset Progress
ion
Topography DTRs Senso
ry
featur
es
Bladde
r &
Bowel
involve
ment
Fever
at
onset
Systemic
features
Etiological
clues
Acute
transvers
Myelitis
Hours
to few
days
Hours
few
Symmetric,
generalized,
respiratory
involvement in high
cervical lesions
Absent
(in
shock
phase),
brisk
below
the level
of lesion
later
+ early +- Meningeal
signs
occasionally
Preceding
prodromal
illness or
vaccination
Post
traumatic
sciatic
neuritis
Hours
to few
days
Maximu
m deficit
at onset
One limb involved Absent
in that
limb
+ - - - Preceding
H/o IM
injections
10. Disease Onset Progr
essio
n
Topography DTRs Sensory
features
Bladde
r &
Bowel
involve
ment
Fever
at
onset
Systemi
c
features
Etiological
clues
Post
diphtheritic
polyneuropa
thy
Weeks
to
month
s
2-4
week
s
Symmetric ,descending,
generalized, cranial
neuropathy (commonly
palatal), occassionaly
early respiratory
weakness
- + +- - Cardiom
yopathy
Preceding h/o
fever with
neck swelling
(Bull neck) &
membranous
pharyngitis.
Botulism Hours
to few
days
Hour
s to
few
days
Symmetric, descending,
generalized, cranial
neuropathy (ocular &
bulbar), occasionally
respiratory weakness.
- +- - - - -
Tick bite
paralysis
2-3
weeks
2-4
week
s
Symmetric, generalized,
cranial neuropathy
(occular)
- - - - Bite
marks
h/o travel to
endemic
11. Disease Onset Progre
ssion
Topography DTRs Sensor
y
feature
s
Bladder
&
Bowel
involve
ment
Fever
at
onset
System
ic
feature
s
Etiological
clues
Viral myositis Hours to
few days
Hours
to few
days
Symmetric,
generalized,
Normal
or
reduced
- - + - Viral
prodrome
Hypokalemic
periodic
paralysis
Hours or
few days
Hours
to few
days
Symmetric,
proximal > distal,
early neck flexor,
respiratory
weakness
- - - - Precipitated
by post
prandial
state or
exertion
Critical
illness
polyneuropa
hy
Hours to
few days
Hours
to few
days
Symmetric,
generalized, early
respiratory
involvement
- - - +- Underl
ying
sepsis,
shock,
cardior
espirat
ory
failure
12.
13. How to differentiate among
Polio
Guillain Barre syndrome
Traumatic Neuritis
Transverse myelitis
14.
15.
16.
17. Management
Definitive care:
Intravenous immunoglobulin: (IvIg) 2gm/kg: indicated in GBS, myasthenic crisis.
Pulse methyprednisolone therapy 30mg/kg/day: for transverse myelitis.
Antisnake venom in case of suspected envenomation.
Intravenous potassium for hypokalemia.
19. AFP SURVEILLENCE
AFP surveillance identifies new cases & detects importation of wild poliovirus.
The four steps of surveillance are:
1. Finding & reporting children with AFP.
2. Transporting stool samples for analysis.
3. Isolating & identifying poliovirus in the laboratory.
4. Mapping the virus to determine the origin of the virus strain.
20. AFP SURVEILLENCE
Finding & reporting children with AFP
The first link are staff in all health facilities: from district health centres to large
hospitals
They must promptly report every case of AFP in any child < 15 years of age.
The number of AFP cases reported each year is used as an indicator of country’s
ability to detect polio even in countries where disease no longer occurs.
A country’s surveillance system needs to be sensitive enough to detect at least
one case of AFP for every 1,00,000 children < 15 years of age even in absence of
polio.
21. AFP SURVEILLENCE
Transporting stool samples for analysis:
Two stool samples should be collected at an interval of 24-48 hours apart & within
14 days of onset of paralysis.
However, when AFP cases are seen late(i.e. greater than 2 weeks after paralysis),
stool specimen may be collected up to 60 days after onset of paralysis.
At least “one thumb sized” 8 gm of stool is required.
22. AFP SURVEILLENCE
Isolating poliovirus:
If poliovirus is isolated the next step is to distinguish between wild & vaccine
related.
If wild poliovirus is isolated then identify which of the two surviving types of wild
virus is involved.
23. AFP SURVEILLENCE
Mapping of the virus:
Once the wild poliovirus is identified, further tests are carried out to determine
from where the strain may have originated.
By determining the genetic makeup of virus, wild virus can be compared to others
& classified into genetic families which cluster in defined geographic areas.
When the poliovirus has been pinpointed to precise geographical area, it is
possible to identify the source of importation of poliovirus- both long range &
cross border.