Rare illness 'clusters' in Wales spark EU-wide alert

[Bob]

Rare illness 'clusters' in Wales spark EU-wide alert
28 January 2016
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-35434377

Health officials in Wales have alerted European colleagues after an "unusual" spike in illnesses that leave patients with facial weakness or paralysis.

Ten men in south Wales have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and four children with "acute flaccid paralysis".

Public Health Wales said the conditions were "not contagious" and most people "recover well".

Medics believe a viral infection - potentially flu - could be responsible.

Researchers say they are continuing to examine other possible infections which might be responsible, as seven of the men had respiratory illnesses before developing the neurological syndromes.

They are also trying to establish whether it is the same cause that led to children becoming temporarily paralysed.

Some have tested positive for a viral infection, known as an enterovirus.

 

[Bob]

This seems very interesting in terms of the apparent parallels with ME, and outbreaks of ME.
Interesting that they mention viral infections including enterovirus infections.
No mention of hysteria, which is refreshing.

 

[Bob]

I wonder if (especially a mild case of ) Guillain-Barré syndrome can easily be mistaken for ME. Reading about it, I recognise some of the symptoms that I've seen some ME patients describe.

 

[halcyon]

I wonder if (especially a mild case of ) Guillain-Barré syndrome can easily be mistaken for ME.

It's possible. If this is part of a larger enterovirus outbreak, it's conceivable that some people are going to come down with ME from it. We'll never hear about them though. Those patients will spend the coming months and years trying to figure out what's wrong with them.

 

[Hip]

This could be the B1 strain of enterovirus D68 that has been paralyzing and killing children in the US. The B1 strain is a polio-like strain.

Enterovirus D68 is part of the enterovirus D group. It is not part of the enterovirus B group (which includes coxsackievirus B and echovirus) of viruses that are associated with ME/CFS.

 

[Bob]

This could be the B1 strain of enterovirus D68 that has been paralyzing and killing children in the US.

Yes, that was my first thought - that it sounds like last year's outbreak event in which children were suffering from paralysis. But I couldn't remember the details.

 

[picante]

They should be checking whether these people were vaccinated recently. There is an association.
http://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/Influenza.aspx

The most serious reaction that has been associated with flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) which occurs most often within two to four weeks of vaccination. GBS is an immune mediated nerve disorder characterized by muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain and sometimes paralysis of one or more limbs or the face. Recovery takes several months and can include residual disability. Less than 5 percent of GBS cases end in death.

In 2013 the Federal Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV) voted to add GBS to the Vaccine Injury Table within the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

 

[Sushi]

I wonder if (especially a mild case of ) Guillain-Barré syndrome can easily be mistaken for ME. Reading about it, I recognise some of the symptoms that I've seen some ME patients describe.

The Zika virus has also been associated with Guillain-Barre. It seems to be rapidly spreading.

 

[Little Bluestem]

Public Health Wales said the conditions were "not contagious" and most people "recover well".

Since when have viruses been "not contagious"?

 

[alex3619]

Since when have viruses been "not contagious"?

This is public spin-speak for the disorder not being infectious, while ignoring that the virus that might trigger the disorder is infectious. Once upon a time they told us GRID, gay related immune disease, was not infectious. Now we know it as HIV AIDS, and take it seriously.