Guillain-Barr é Syndrome During Ongoing Zika Virus Transmission - Puerto Rico, January 1-July 31, 2016.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome During Ongoing Zika Virus Transmission - Puerto Rico, January 1-July 31, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65(34):910-4 Authors: Dirlikov E, Major CG, Mayshack M, Medina N, Matos D, Ryff KR, Torres-Aponte J, Alkis R, Munoz-Jordan J, Colon-Sanchez C, Salinas JL, Pastula DM, Garcia M, Segarra MO, Malave G, Thomas DL, Rodríguez-Vega GM, Luciano CA, Sejvar J, Sharp TM, Rivera-Garcia B Abstract Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a postinfectious autoimmune disorder characterized by bilateral flaccid limb weakness attributable to peripheral nerve damage (1). Increased GBS incidence has been reported in countries with local transmission of Zika virus, a flavivirus transmitted primarily by certain Aedes species mosquitoes (2). In Puerto Rico, three arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are currently circulating: Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. The first locally acquired Zika virus infection in Puerto Rico was reported in December 2015 (3). In February 2016, the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDH), with assistance from CDC, implemented the GBS Passive Surveillance System (GBPSS) to identify new cases of suspected GBS (4). Fifty-six suspected cases of GBS with onset of neurologic signs during January 1-July 31, 2016, were identified. Thirty-four (61%) patients had evidence of Zika virus or flavivirus infection; the median age of these patients was 55 years (range = 21-88 years), and 20 (59%) patients were fema...
Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... - Category: Epidemiology Authors: Tags: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Source Type: research