Hi Christo,
Yes, just a month ago CDC said that mosquito-borne Zika virus -- already linked to birth defects and brain damage in newborns -- may also be connected to some rare but serious cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can cause paralysis. Guillain-Barré syndrome has been reported in a number of patients with probable Zika virus infections in French Polynesia and Brazil. Guillain-Barré syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which the body usually is responding to another infection. It has an immune response that destroys the covering of nerves and interferes with the ability of nerves to function and survive. Guillain-Barré causes an ascending motor paralysis that starts at the feet and moves up towards the head. When it involves the muscles of respiration, people who have Guillain-Barré require a breathing machine in order to survive.
Best wishes,
Ilya
Yes Sir, You are right ! Sorry for my ignorance ! Thanks a lot for spending time to explain this useful information.
Dear Ilya Tsyrlov Sir,How far does it affect ability of nerves to function and survive??
Information added with regard to actuality:
MEYER SAUTEUR PM et al:
Research Article
Mycoplasma pneumoniae triggering the Guillain-Barré syndrome: A case-control study
Annals of Neurology, Volume 80, Issue 4 October 2016
Pages 566–580
First published: 26 August 2016
DOI: 10.1002/ana.24755
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ana.24755/abstract
For convenience only:
Abstract
Objective
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute postinfectious immune-mediated polyneuropathy. Although preceding respiratory tract infections with Mycoplasma pneumoniae have been reported in some cases, the role of M. pneumoniae in the pathogenesis of GBS remains unclear. We here cultured, for the first time, M. pneumoniae from a GBS patient with antibodies against galactocerebroside (GalC), which cross-reacted with the isolate. This case prompted us to unravel the role of M. pneumoniae in GBS in a case-control study.
Methods
We included 189 adults and 24 children with GBS and compared them to control cohorts for analysis of serum antibodies against M. pneumoniae (n = 479) and GalC (n = 198).
Results
Anti–M. pneumoniae immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies were detected in GBS patients and healthy controls in 3% and 0% of adults (p = 0.16) and 21% and 7% of children (p = 0.03), respectively. Anti-GalC antibodies (IgM and/or IgG) were found in 4% of adults and 25% of children with GBS (p = 0.001). Anti-GalC-positive patients showed more-frequent preceding respiratory symptoms, cranial nerve involvement, and a better outcome. Anti-GalC antibodies correlated with anti–M. pneumoniae antibodies (p < 0.001) and cross-reacted with different M. pneumoniae strains. Anti-GalC IgM antibodies were not only found in GBS patients with M. pneumoniae infection, but also in patients without neurological disease (8% vs 9%; p = 0.87), whereas anti-GalC IgG was exclusively found in patients with GBS (9% vs 0%; p = 0.006).
Interpretation
M. pneumoniae infection is associated with GBS, more frequently in children than adults, and elicits anti-GalC antibodies, of which specifically anti-GalC IgG may contribute to the pathogenesis of GBS. Ann Neurol 2016;80:566–580
Dear Christo, only few words regarding your question(in Re #04 above):
"How far does it affect ability of nerves to function and survive??"
To be honest (having some knowledge in anatomy, physiology, histology and ultrastructure of organs/body systems) and to describe (hopefully) as short as possible:
IMAGINE a small or - if you like - also a big, old tree, normally "equipped" with "duct systems" in its interior structures beneath its bark [ "inner bark =bast "] to accomplish nurture and water transport to the leaves.... If you eliminate the bark with the whole circumferential integrity of the "bast" you'll see the tree dying, at least after a short while....because the necessary "nurture and water transport" is discontinued/interrupted.
So imagine: "myelinated NERVE(=axon+ myelin sheath=concentric lamellae made of myelin)" = conducting system, consisting of an inner part (=nerve thread/cell proper) and an outer part = myelin sheaths, the latter essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system and fast (contrary to slow conduction!) "saltatory conduction of nerve impulses". If the outer layer (myelin, myelin sheaths) is destroyed or degenerates by (intrinsic, extrinsic, autoimmune....) disease, the consequences are as Ilya Tsyrlov ( in Re#01 )·described briefly:
" Guillain-Barré causes an ascending motor paralysis that starts at the feet and moves up towards the head. When it involves the muscles of respiration, people who have Guillain-Barré require a breathing machine in order to survive."
For an idea how the 'nerve conduction system' is working (since you might not be familiar with anatomical / histological / ultrastructural facts and data) please consult e. g.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelin (you can see there also a sketch as well as an electron microscopical image of the morphological equivalent of myelin-sheaths / cross section in terms of ultrastructural appearance)
or - for further general aspects of the 'nerve(nervous) system' please cf.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_system where you can find schemata of the classification of the vertebrate nervous system: CNS, PNS, Sensory(=afferent) and Motor- (=efferent) division; ANS (autonomic nervous system) - SNS (somatic nervous system).
Regards, WM
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