There are two cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome linked to Zika in the U.S., the CDC says
After a failed attempt to link the rare birth disorder Microcephaly to the Zika virus using data which is misleading, exaggerated and in many cases false the CDC have had to go back to the drawing board and now have come up with another rare disorder to link the virus too. Enter Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Guillain-Barré syndrome:
Guillain-Barré (pronounced ghee-lan bar-ray) syndrome is a rare and serious condition of the peripheral nervous system. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system.
The exact cause of Guillain-Barré syndrome is unknown. However, most people (around 60%) develop the condition shortly after having a viral or bacterial infection. It’s thought infection may trigger the immune system to attack nerve roots and peripheral nerves.
Time magazine report:
The link between Zika and the birth defect microcephaly has received much attention. But health experts are also concerned about the link between the virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a condition where the immune system starts attacking the body’s nerves, which leads to weakness that can eventually result in temporary paralysis. In some cases, the disorder can interfere with breathing.
The report continues with comments from the Director of the CDC:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed to TIME that there have been two cases of GBS in the U.S. in people who also tested positive for Zika virus. “I think we can say that the link between Zika and Guillain-Barre looks strong and would not be at all surprising,” says Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC. “We’ve seen similar postinfection complications after many different infections, including some that are quite similar to Zika. That is a link that’s getting stronger.”
So after a week of almost silence on the Zika outbreak following the publics realisation that the claim linking Zika virus to Microcephaly was nothing more than fear mongering based on no evidence the CDC are actively trying to change the Zika narrative by introducing the Guillain-Barre link to the virus.
But as before the link is tenuous and based on no actual real evidence:
Although the findings from the study are still very preliminary, the lead researcher told TIME that while it’s normally rare to see the disease in young people, the CDC researchers in Brazil found a high number of cases among people in their 20s, 30s and 40s who were otherwise healthy.
Sources:
