Peru: Guillain-Barré syndrome outbreak spreads /update 2

Event

Health officials announced that, as of mid-May, there were 32 confirmed and ten suspected cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Trujillo (Libertad region) since January 2018. Three further cases have been reported in the Áncash region, two cases in Piura, and one fatal case in Cajamarca. Authorities have deployed medical experts to the region and have implemented public health measures to hinder further spread of the disease.

Context

GBS is an immune system and neurological disorder that health officials in Peru believed to have been caused by enterovirus, a disease that is transmitted orally or through the respiratory system and attacks the digestive system. Authorities came to this conclusion after a number of patients with GBS also tested positive for enterovirus.

Initial symptoms of GBS include numbness and tingling as well as back and muscle pain, followed by weakness in the extremities that progressively worsens over the course of days or weeks. If left untreated, GBS can lead to paralysis and cardiac arrest.

Advice

Individuals in the affected areas, and those in Peru more generally, are advised to consult a medical professional if presenting with the above symptoms.