First evidence that Zika may cause temporary paralysis, says study

[Son_of_Liberty90]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...paralysis-says-study/articleshow/51203706.cms

LONDON: Scientists may have the first evidence that Zika can cause temporary paralysis, according to a new study of patients who developed the rare condition during an outbreak of the virus in Tahiti two years ago.

Zika is currently spreading with alarming speed across the Americas. The World Health Organization declared the epidemic to be a global emergency several weeks ago based on suspicions it may be behind a surge in disturbing birth defects and in Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological illness that mostly lasts a few weeks.

Before reaching South America last year, the mosquito-spread Zika had triggered outbreaks in the South Pacific on Yap island in Micronesia and in French Polynesia, including its largest island, Tahiti.

Researchers in Tahiti, France and elsewhere went back and analyzed blood samples from all 42 adults diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome from the 2013-14 outbreak; nearly everyone showed signs of a previous Zika infection.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Researchers in Tahiti, France and elsewhere went back and analyzed blood samples from all 42 adults diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome from the 2013-14 outbreak; nearly everyone showed signs of a previous Zika infection.

Now they need to look at people who had a Zika infection and did not get Guillain- Barre syndrome to see if Zika causes it. Correlation is not necessarily causation. There can be other causes. 42 cases is a small sample.

Chart from the paper showing total Zika cases and reported Guillain Barre cases:

At the peak of the outbreak they looked at, there were 3,600 reported Zika infections and five cases of reported Guillian Barre syndrome- or one in 720. http://www.thelancet.com/action/showFullTextImages?pii=S0140-6736(16)00562-6

the text of it notes:

the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome was estimated to be 0·24 per 1000 Zika virus infections.

Which means fewer than one in over 4,000 Zika cases led to the syndrome. A rare- not common (as the headline suggests) occurrance from the virius.