AFM became reportable in Los Angeles County (LAC) in January 2016.
LAC is currently participating in enhanced AFM
surveillance. Clinicians should report any person with
onset of acute flaccid limb weakness, regardless of
laboratory results to the patient's local health
department as early in the course of the illness as
possible.
|
Report all AFM and suspected polio cases within 24 hours by phone: |
- Weekdays 8:30am–5pm: call 213-240-7941.
- After-hours: call 213-974-1234 and ask for the physician on call.
|
|
Please also report: |
- Any
person
whose
death
certificate
lists
acute
flaccid
myelitis
as a
cause of
death or
a
condition
contributing
to
death.
-
Autopsy
findings
that
include
histopathologic
evidence
of
inflammation
involving
the
anterior
horn of
the
spinal
cord
spanning
≥1
vertebral
segment
|
|
|
|
For any suspect or confirmed AFM cases in Los Angeles County: |
1. Collect
all five of the following specimens and ask the laboratory to hold them until specimen testing is approved. Specimens should be collected as early as possible and preferably on the day of onset of limb weakness.
- Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs (in viral transport media),
- Nasopharyngeal wash or aspirate (in viral transport media).
- CSF (2-3cc, if available, in sterile collection tube).
- Serum (acute and convalescent), collected prior to treatment with IVIG, (2-3 cc in red or tiger-top tube).
- Two stool specimens (two quarter-sized amounts in a sterile wide-mouth container) collected 24 hours apart.
|
|
|
|
2. Contact the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program (ACDC) to report all cases within 24 hours by phone. See weekday and after-hours reporting phone lines above. |
|
|
3.
For Los Angeles County AFM cases, send below documents to ACDC AFM team by fax to 888-397-3778 or
213-482-5508, or by secure email to
acdcvector@ph.lacounty.gov
The AFM team will review case details for testing approval by next business day.
|
|
|
4.
Once specimens are approved for AFM testing, send specimens to the LAC Public Health Laboratory (LAC PHL) and complete both the
Test requisition form (H-3021) and
CDPH VRDL specimen submittal form.
Approval of AFM testing is required before submitting any specimens to LAC PHL or CDPH Viral and Rickettsia
Disease Laboratory (CDPH
VRDL). The CDPH VRDL
form will need to be
completed for each
specimen collected. Both
the test requisition and
CDPH VRDL forms should
accompany the specimens
to LAC PHL.
For courier
services to LAC PHL,
call 562-658-1460. For
assistance with form
completion, laboratory
specimens and courier
services, contact the
ACDC AFM team during
business hours on
213-240-7941. |
|
|
