Recently, there has been a virus spreading throughout the United States causing children across the country to become paralyzed. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is continuing to investigate the disease since little is known about the origins and causes of the disease.
From what has been discovered already, it is believed to be a strain of viruses called Enterovirus 68. This particular strain starts with two main symptoms: a respiratory infection and high fever. Two weeks after the virus has been contracted, the disease develops into varied degrees of limb numbness, often resulting in paralysis. The CDC is currently testing specimens from afflicted children, especially individuals with severe respiratory illness. Approximately half of the samples tested were positive for the Enterovirus 68. The probability of individuals contracting the disease has remained sparse since its first known appearance in 1962. However, since mid-September, multiple cases have been reported in 40 states, affecting nearly 500 children.
Dr. Jane Orient, Executive Director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, believes that a possible source of the virus is illegal immigration. She claims that the influxes of children from various countries are the initiators of the disease. The U.S. is not taking appropriate precautions to insure these children are not infected before migrating into the country. Orient suggests that researchers examine other similar disease outbreaks and observe their causes and distribution patterns to make inference on the current disease issue.
Children are highly susceptible to the disease because of their premature and undeveloped immune systems. Researchers believe kids who have asthma are at a higher risk due to their increased chances of developing respiratory infections. There is no cure or treatment for the disease due to the lack of information about the viral origins. Treatments available attempt to heal respiratory infections before the virus can progress and cause paralysis. The CDC and other health professionals are working diligently on finding a cure of some sort for this disease as its severity continues to increase. There have been cases of the illness causing death in multiple states and though the probability of contracting the virus is rare, it is still a threat faced by many afflicted children.