By Rachael Rettner - Senior Writer Live Science
The CDC released a report describing a "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults" or (MIS-A), months after a similar condition was reported in children.
Months after the discovery of a "multisystem inflammatory syndrome" tied to COVID-19 in children, health officials are warning that a similar condition can strike adults as well.
On Friday (Oct. 2), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report describing a "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults" or (MIS-A). Like the syndrome in children, MIS-A is a severe illness that targets multiple organs and causes increased inflammation in the body, the report said. And with both syndromes, many patients either test positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or have antibodies against it, indicating a recent infection.
Currently, MIS-A appears rare, like its counterpart in children. The new CDC report identifies around two dozen cases of MIS-A.
Still, the new report, published in the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, urges doctors to consider a diagnosis of MIS-A in adults with compatible signs and symptoms. "Ultimately, the recognition of MIS-A reinforces the need for prevention efforts to limit spread of SARS-CoV-2," the authors concluded.
Reports of a mysterious inflammatory syndrome in children first appeared in the spring, and doctors dubbed the condition MIS-C, or "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children." Children with this rare syndrome, which affects multiple organs and often requires hospitalization, can experience fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes and fatigue, according to the CDC. So far, the CDC has received reports of 935 cases of MIS-C in the United States, including 19 deaths. The official definition of MIS-C includes an age limit of 20 years old, and cases have been seen in children, teens and young adults.
Over the summer, there were reports of a similar syndrome popping up in adults. The new CDC report describes 27 cases of MIS-A from the United States and the United Kingdom. Sixteen of these cases are described in detail, nine of which were officially reported to the CDC, and seven of which were described in published case reports.
