Because of the unusual backlog of cases of a very rare neurological disease, the Govt Peru has declared a state of health emergency Three months. Since January, 182 cases of the so-calledGuillain-Barre syndrome in the country, according to the Ministry of Health. Four of those affected have died. There are 31 patients still in hospital and 147 patients have been discharged from hospital.
“Guillain-Barre syndrome is a neurological disease in which damage occurs to the auxiliary structures of the peripheral nerves, which is accompanied by ascending paralysis and can endanger life, because in some cases it affects the respiratory muscles,” says Dr. Peter Berlet, President of the German Society of Neurology (DGN), In an interview with DW. The special thing about this rare disease, according to the neurologist, is that the immune system turns against his own body that it is supposed to protect.
“Usually, Guillain-Barré syndrome occurs after an infection, which can be bacterial or viral. The body forms antibodies against this infection, and if there are more antibodies than are needed to fight off the pathogen, some of these antibodies have an unpleasant property. Such targets the components of the nerve tracts, causing inflammation and damage, “explains the expert.
So the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous system. The affected peripheral nerves are those that transmit signals from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.
not contagious
On Monday, the government of Ecuador announced that it is maintaining an active epidemiological surveillance process, especially in the border area with Peru. The goal is to identify cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, to provide immediate medical attention and to find out the possible origin of this disease.
Despite the fact that the cause of the disease is still a mystery, expert Peter Berlett tries to calm him down: “Guillain-Barre syndrome is not a contagious disease, but what is usually contagious are the diseases that cause it.”
In many cases, the disease has been observed to occur shortly after a viral or bacterial infection, such as a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection. It has also been associated with some viruses, including the Epstein-Barr virus, the influenza virus, and the Zika virus.
Previous outbreaks in Latin America
Guillain-Barre syndrome is a universal disease and can appear anywhere in the world. One of the most notable outbreaks occurred in Brazil in 2015, during the Zika virus outbreak. Peru itself experienced a larger outbreak in 2019. In French Polynesia, an outbreak of Guillain-Barre syndrome cases followed a wave of Zika infections in 2013/14. There has also been an increase in Guillain-Barre cases after infection with the coronavirus.
However, the most likely cause of the 2019 outbreak in Peru was the consumption of food infected with Campylobacter jejuni bacteria, among other gastrointestinal pathogens.
The President of the German Society of Neurology confirms: “Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most important and common etiologies of Guillain-Barre syndrome worldwide. Also in Germany, the USA and other countries. If this infection by Campylobacter jejuni occurs frequently, for example due to a type of Lack of hygiene, the risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome also increases.
How widespread is the disease?
According to Peter Perlett, this rare neurological disease occurs in Europe and the United States with an approximate incidence of 1 to 2 cases per 100,000 population. In the event of outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections, this number increases dramatically.
Perlet says the chances of recovery from Guillain-Barre syndrome are good, but “there are also acute cycles, where all four limbs are paralyzed and the respiratory muscles may also be affected, so patients must be admitted to an intensive care unit and must undergo artificial respiration with all the attendant risks.”
Then it is necessary to know the pathogen responsible for the rapidly increasing cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome. This is the task now facing the Peruvian health authorities.
“Beeraholic. Friend of animals everywhere. Evil web scholar. Zombie maven.”