Peru has imposed a health emergency over an "unusual" outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in the country.
The health emergency has been imposed all over the country. A similar emergency was also imposed in 2019.
The GBS is a serious but rare neurological disorder and an autoimmune disorder. In the United States, the probability of GBS is 1 in 1,00,000.
Here we explain what's Guillain-Barré Syndrome, what are Guillain-Barré Syndrome symptoms, and what we know about the health emergency in Peru.
Peru's health emergency over Guillain-Barré Syndrome
The health ministry of Peru on Sunday declared a 90-day health emergency over the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).
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"Government declares health emergency due to unusual increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome," said the ministry in a Facebook post.
The imposition of emergency came after four deaths from GBS and over 180 cases, reported a report in Spanish b AFP.
"There has been a significant increase in recent weeks that forces us to take actions as a State to protect the health and life of the population," Health Minister César Vásquez was quoted as saying.
The emergency is applicable in all the 25 regions of Peru, according to AFP.
What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?
The Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a neurological disorder and an autoimmune disease.
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Just like other autoimmune diseases, when a patient has GBS, their immune system starts attacking their healthy cells instead of sick sells.
The GBS is a rare but serious autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the peripheral nervous system, which is the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.
When a person has GBS, myelin sheaths of peripheral nerves are attacked, says Medical News Today (MNT).
"The damage prevents the nerves from sending certain information, such as touch sensations, to the spinal cord and brain. This causes a feeling of numbness. In addition, the brain and spinal cord can no longer transmit signals back to the body, leading to muscle weakness," says MND.
The GBS is not contagious and cannot spread from one person to another.
The Guillain-Barré Syndrome symptoms, causes
The earliest symptoms of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) are usually tingling and weakness in the feet and hands or pain in the legs or back. The MNT notes that symptoms usually start three weeks of infection.
In the United States, one in 1,00,000 persons is likely to get GBS.
If the weakness extends beyond the legs, MNT says a person may develop the following symptoms:
- Weakness on both sides of the body
- Difficulty breathing
- Muscle weakness in the arms
- Paralysis of the whole body
With muscle weakness and tingling, MNT says the nerve changes can lead to:
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- Vision problems, due to weakness in the eye muscles
- Difficulty speaking, chewing, and swallowing
- Severe pain, especially at night
- Problems with coordination
- Changes in heart rate or blood pressure
- Problems with digestion and bladder control
The cause of GBS is now known but it has been found that the disease often sets in after an infection.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) notes that about two in every three people with GBS had diarrhoea or a respiratory illness several weeks before developing GBS symptoms.
The CDC also links GBS with viral infections like flu or infections with cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr virus, Zika virus, or other viruses.
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There has also been a link with vaccination but that is rare, says CDC.
"Very rarely people have developed GBS in the days or weeks after getting certain vaccines. However, benefits of vaccination far outweigh risks. For example, studies show that people have a greater chance of getting GBS after getting the flu than they do after getting vaccinated against the flu," says CDC.
The CDC says that Infection with Campylobacter jejuni, which causes diarrhea, is one of the most common causes of GBS.
"About one in every 1,000 people with Campylobacter infection in the United States gets GBS. At least one in every 20 –and as many as eight in every 20– people with GBS in the United States had a recent Campylobacter infection," says CDC.
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The Guillain-Barré Syndrome diagnosis, treatment
The diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is difficult, particularly in the initial phase, as the symptoms overlap with those of other neurological conditions.
The doctors consider how long the symptoms have lasted, how fast they spread, and if they are on both sides of the body.
MNT says the following tests can also be ordered:
- A nerve conduction exam, which can show whether nerve signals are slow
- Electromyography, sometimes called EMG, which tests the nerve function within muscle fibers
- A lumbar puncture, which involves removing a sample of cerebrospinal fluid for testing
As for the treatment, there is specific cure for GBS, but symptoms can be treatment and the condition can be managed.
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The UK National Health Service (NHS) says that most people are treated in hospital and usually need to stay there for a few weeks to a few months.
The two main treatment options for GBS are immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG) and plasma exchange.
In IVIG, donated blood containing health anti-bodies is given to a person with GBS. It is an intravenous treatment and is the most common method to treat GBS.
In plasma exchange, a person's blood is taken and harmful anti-bodies are filtered out in a machine. The treated blood is given again to the person.
"This involves being attached to a machine that removes blood from a vein and filters out the harmful antibodies that are attacking your nerves before returning the blood to your body. Most people need treatment over the course of around five days," says NHS about plasma exchange method.
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Besides these treatment options, blood thinners can also be given to prevent blood clotting. A person can also be put on oxygen support in case of breathing difficulties.
