Acute Flaccid Myelitis — Research Summary
Printed from RareWays (rareways.com.au) on 24 September 2026
For general awareness only. Not medical advice. Discuss all care options with your healthcare team.
5 Most Recent Research Articles
- 1.
EVALUATING THE MECHANISMS OF PATHOGENESIS AND ANTIBODY-MEDIATED PROTECTION IN ENTEROVIRUS D68-INDUCED ACUTE FLACCID MYELITIS
Pham Khanh Hoang Luu — UNC Libraries (20 August 2026)
https://doi.org/10.17615/d42b-s492
- 2.
EV68-228-N monoclonal antibody treatment halts progression of paralysis in a mouse model of EV-D68 induced acute flaccid myelitis.
Kenneth L. Tyler et al. — UNC Libraries (7 August 2026)
https://doi.org/10.17615/098g-fr47
- 3.
Acute Flaccid Myelitis Surveillance - United States, January 2020-December 2025.
Lopez Adriana S et al. — MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report (9 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42424163/
- 4.
Routes of Spread and Natural Progression in Acute Flaccid Myelitis.
Stutman Amanda et al. — Pediatric neurology (1 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42150402/
- 5.
In Cases of Atypical Acute Flaccid Myelitis, Search for Causes Other than the Common Viral Infections should be Initiated
Carla A Scorza et al. — International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies (16 May 2026)
https://doi.org/10.62225/2583049x.2026.6.3.6320
Source: RareWays research directory. Data from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Always verify information with your healthcare team before making any decisions about your care.
Acute Flaccid Myelitis
Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare condition in which inflammation damages the grey matter of the spinal cord, causing sudden weakness or floppiness in one or more limbs. It mostly affects children, often a few days after a viral illness such as an enterovirus infection. Diagnosis uses MRI and spinal fluid tests. Care focuses on supportive hospital treatment, breathing support if needed, and long-term rehabilitation.
Most Recent Research
Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a major cause of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a severe neurologic disease in children that can result in sudden paralysis and lifelong disability. Currently, no approved therapies specifically target EV-D68-associated AFM. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent a promising therapeutic strategy because they combine viral neutralization through the Fab region with immune-cell recruitment through the Fc region. However, the contribution of Fc effector function to protection against EV-D68-induced neurologic disease remains unclear. This study investigated whether Fc effector function enhances protection against AFM using the partially neutralizing mAb EV68-41. Wild-type EV68-41 (EV68-41-WT), which retains Fc effector function, was compared with an Fc-deficient LALAPG variant (EV68-41-LALAPG) in an animal model of EV-D68 infection. Survival and neurologic outcomes were assessed and compared with the potently neutralizing mAb EV68-228. No significant difference in survival was observed between EV68-41-WT and EV68-41-LALAPG, with both providing approximately 60% survival. However, EV68-41-LALAPG-treated mice exhibited higher peak neurologic scores, indicating more severe limb paralysis, compared with EV68-41-WT-treated mice. In contrast, both EV68-228 variants provided 100% survival and complete neurologic protection. These findings demonstrate that Fc effector function can reduce neurologic disease severity even when it does not significantly improve survival. Together, the results suggest that effective mAb therapies for EV-D68-associated AFM should combine potent viral neutralization with Fc-mediated immune recruitment, potentially improving neurologic outcomes and reducing the burden of childhood paralysis.
Common Questions
What is Acute Flaccid Myelitis?
Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare condition in which inflammation damages the grey matter of the spinal cord, causing sudden weakness or floppiness in one or more limbs. It mostly affects children, often a few days after a viral illness such as an enterovirus infection. Diagnosis uses MRI and spinal fluid tests. Care focuses on supportive hospital treatment, breathing support if needed, and long-term rehabilitation.
How many clinical trials are available for Acute Flaccid Myelitis?
No clinical trials are currently indexed for Acute Flaccid Myelitis. This may change as new trials are registered. Check back regularly or visit ClinicalTrials.gov directly.
Where does the research data for Acute Flaccid Myelitis come from?
RareWays aggregates research from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Data is updated regularly by Rocky, RareWays' automated research engine. All articles and trials link directly to their original sources.
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This information is for general awareness only.
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