More Victims of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Along the U.S. - Mexico Border

Previous Campylobacter jejuni triggered infections are involved

An unusually high number of individuals diagnosed with Guillian-Barré Syndrome, a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, was detected along a small stretch of the United States-Mexico border. Today, the number of people diagnosed with Guillian-Barré Syndrome has risen to 24.

Health officials in USA and Mexico have been investigating the cluster of illnesses and believe that this rare disorder may have been triggered by Campylobacter infection, a common diarrheal foodborne illness characterized by diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal pain, malaise, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Guillian-Barré Syndrome often occurs a few days or weeks after a person have had symptoms of a gastrointestinal bacterial infection; in fact, two-thirds of affected individuals have had a preceding infection, being Campylobacter jejuni the most common pathogen that elicits this syndrome.

According to a recent article by JoNel Aleccia, “At least four of the GBS patients have been confirmed to be infected with Campylobacter bacteria, meaning there’s a good chance the others were, too, officials said.” Officials are hoping to quickly determine the source of the Campylobacter infections.

Of the victims, 17 are reportedly from Mexico and 7 from the United States. Although Guillian-Barré Syndrome can affect a person at any age, it appears that most of those sickened are adults ranging in age from 40 to 70. Some have been left extremely impaired as a result of acquiring the disorder.

Fuente: http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/food-poisoning-watch/more-victims-of-guillain-barre-syndrome-along-the-us---mexico-border/