Man, 46 With Guillain – Barré Syndrome.
THE Zika virus continues to make headlines here as for the first time in St. Lucia it has been linked to a case of Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr.Merlene Fredericks announced yesterday that a 46 – year old man has been affected and is presently being managed and doing well.
She said the man had the virus and afterwards developed weakness in his feet, had difficulty walking, driving and experienced paralysis.
She addws that he is taking medication that has been shown to stop the progress of the illness and aid in the recovery of persons afflicted with the disease.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. The first symptoms of this disorder include varying degrees of weakness or tingling sensations in the legs. In many instances, the symmetrical weakness and abnormal sensations spread to the arms and upper body.
These symptoms can increase in intensity until certain muscles cannot be used at all and, when severe, the person is almost totally paralyzed. In these cases, the disorder is life threatening – potentially interfering with breathing and, at times, with blood pressure or heart rate – and is considered a medical emergency.
Most individuals, however, have good recovery from even the most severe cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, although some continue to have a certain degree of weakness.
Surprisingly, this is not the first case of Guillain-BarréSyndrome recorded in the country.
According to Fredericks, Microcephaly and Guillain-Barre Syndrome are two medical conditions that have been in the country “for the longest while, long before Zika.”
“There are many other diseases and conditions that can cause them. We have had these cases throughout that are not related to Zika, but related to other things, like other viruses,” Fredericks said.
Nahum Jn Baptiste, St. Lucia’s National Epidemiologist, underscored this stating that over the years the country has been recording two cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome per year; however, three cases have been recorded this year.
“When we get a case we try to link back to see if the person had a case of Zika. We found one case linked to Zika”, he said.
Health officials are also worried about Microcephaly, an off-shoot of the Zikavirus, that affects the newborn of mothers who have had the Zika virus during pregnancy.
Microcephaly is a condition in which the head of the newborn is smaller than that of normal babies. This condition has been linked to the Zika virus.
The Ministry of Health is monitoring 26 pregnant women who have been positively identified with having the Zika virus.
“Our last surveillance report has indicated that we have in treatment about 26 women who are positive with the Zika virus. The women are fine, physically but studies have shown that the babies may have abnormalities. It is because of this possibility that we are monitoring the women closely,” Fredericks said.
The Chief Medical Officer warned that the Zika virus is not spread solely by the AedesEgypti mosquito. Increasing evidence, she notes, points to the spread of the virus through sex and cautions couples to practice the barrier method during sex, such as the use of condoms or other such techniques.
