Guidance
Acute flaccid paralysis: investigating and reporting a case
Information on the steps required to report and investigate a case of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM).
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This document is intended for healthcare professionals who are investigating a case of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) or acute flaccid myelitis (AFM).
The document covers:
- AFP/AFP case definition
- aims of surveillance
- steps required to report and investigate a case, including the enhanced surveillance survey
- specimen collection and laboratory testing
- relevant contact details
Updates to this page
Published 19 December 2018
Last updated 21 August 2025
show all updates
-
Updated landing page to reflect updated reporting.
-
Updated introduction, information about how to report and contact details.
-
Updated information on notification regulations.
-
Updated 'How to report a case of acute flaccid paralysis or acute flaccid myelitis'.
-
Updated 'How to report and investigate a case of AFP or AFM'.
-
First published.