State health officials warn of rare neurological condition stemming from flu infection

The Minnesota Department of Health is issuing a warning to parents about a rare neurological complication of the flu.

MDH confirmed a case of influenza-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy in a child under the age of 2 in the Twin Cities metro within the last month.

“This is an incredibly rare condition,” said Melissa McMahon, epidemiology supervisor for MDH’s influenza surveillance unit. “I haven’t seen it in Minnesota in at least the last decade.”

In these cases, influenza infection leads to severe swelling of the brain and is characterized by high fever, changes in consciousness or seizures that can lead to coma or death.

“Here’s what’s scary about it: We don’t know exactly what causes it, and we can’t necessarily predict who’s going to have it,” said KSTP health expert Dr. Archelle Georgiou. “Viruses in most of us affect us for a few days and go away, but in some individuals, there can be severe complications.”

McMahon added, “It can be very severe. It’s fatal around half the time. And about half of the children who do survive end up with long-term issues.”

McMahon said the Minnesota patient survived and is recovering. 

But in Ohio, a father wants people to know how devastating the outcomes can be. 

“Every day, I wake up to the nightmare,” Brad Boler told ABC News. 

Boler’s 4-year-old daughter Locklynn suffered massive brain damage after getting sick with the flu.

“She’ll never be able to walk again. I imagine she can make noises but not talk,” Boler said.

Boler said Locklynn had to be put on a ventilator and faces a long road to recovery.

“I used to be that kind of person that was like, ‘Oh, it’s the flu. You’ll be OK.’ But, like, I’m telling you, this thing could take your guys’ baby away from you in a blink,” Boler said. 

In Minnesota, flu hospitalizations are finally trending down after the worst flu season since the state started keeping records in 2008.

“When you have a huge amount of flu, those rare complications do tend to add up a little more,” McMahon said. 

The most recent MDH Weekly Influenza & Respiratory Illness Activity Report, released Thursday, shows 6,881 total hospitalizations this season, along with 294 deaths, including one pediatric death.

“I think it reemphasizes the need for getting immunized. Get yourself immunized, get your children immunized because that’s the only thing we know you can do to potentially prevent it,” Georgiou said.