Health Departments: Reporting a Patient Under Investigation for AFM

What to know

Since AFM is a relatively new condition, we need information on all patients to help us better understand the spectrum of AFM illness, all possible causes, risk factors, and outcomes for this condition.

laptop with a slide from CDC's AFM presentation

Steps to send and share information

Send the patient summary form and additional case information for each patient to CDC regardless of any laboratory results.

Keep in mind‎

Because specimen submission requirements for CLIA diagnostic testing are currently being updated, ALL submissions to CDC for diagnostic testing require pre-approval at this time. Please contact AFMLab@cdc.gov before submitting AFM specimens to CDC.

1. Compile clinical information

Work with clinicians to request additional information contained in medical records. Collect copies of the following for sharing with CDC in order to assist with case classification:

  • MRI report
  • MRI images
  • Neurology consult note (if available)

If you are a clinician‎

Refer to Clinical Testing and Diagnosis for Acute Flaccid Myelitis for diagnostic testing and specimen collection instructions.

2. Send information to CDC

Complete the AFM patient summary form and send the MRI report and images to CDC.

  • Send information for each patient under investigation (PUI) for AFM to CDC using a secure CDC file transfer site or REDCap.
  • Health departments should also send information about every death of an AFM case to CDC.
  • Contact CDC by email at AFMinfo@cdc.gov for further information on sending forms.
Keep Reading: Acute Flaccid Myelitis: Patient Summary Form
Keep Reading: patient-summary-form.docx
Keep Reading: Instructions for Completing the AFM Patient Summary Form

3. Relay case classification to patient's clinician

Patients will be classified by national AFM experts according to the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) AFM case definition. After expert review, patient classification is given back to the health department and should be relayed to the clinician by the health department.

4. Conduct long-term follow-up of all patients under investigation for AFM

Patients under investigation for AFM will be contacted by the health department at 60 days after the onset of limb weakness to collect information on outcomes after their AFM illness.

  • For confirmed and probable cases only, at the time of the 60-day follow-up, the health department will also collect complete medical records to send to CDC so that we can learn more about this illness. The information to collect includes:
    • admission and discharge notes
    • neurology and infectious disease consult notes
    • MRI report
    • vaccination registry data
    • laboratory test results
    • discharge summary
  • Send complete medical information for each confirmed and probable case of AFM to CDC using REDCap or a secure CDC file transfer site.

Contact CDC with Questions‎

For health department contact information: Call the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100

For non-urgent questions: Email AFMinfo@cdc.gov

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Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Division of Viral Diseases