Scientists have amassed the strongest evidence that the Zika virus can cause severe neurological disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome, "reports The Guardian.
A large outbreak of Zika in the islands of French Polynesia saw a spike in the number of people with Guillain-Barre syndrome - a temporary muscle paralysis caused by nerve disorder.
The researchers analyzed the blood of people of that outbreak, which showed 41 of the 42 people diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome at the time had antibodies to Zika virus.
There have also been reports of increasing numbers of people with Guillain-Barré be admitted to hospitals in Central and South America, which has seen an outbreak o virus.
This new study provides more evidence suggesting a link between the Zika virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
However, the figures of French Polynesia suggest only 0.24 cases per 1,000 infections Zika. This means that individual chances of contracting Guillain-Barré syndrome after being infected by Zika are quite low.
Guillain-Barre syndrome can paralyze the respiratory muscles, which may require treatment in intensive care. Most people recover completely, although it may take a year or more to fully recover.
Despite some alarming headlines, no one died of the syndrome in the outbreak of French Polynesia.
Tips for pregnant women
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and is about to visit a place known to be affected by Zika virus, you should discuss your travel plans with your doctor.
Public Health England provides regular updates on the current spread of the disease.
More tips on the Zika virus.
Where did the story come from?
The study was conducted by researchers from several institutions, including L'Institut Louis Malardé, Hospital Center of French Polynesia, Office of Health Surveillance and Armed Services santé des in French Polynesia, L'Institut Pasteur and the Hospital Pitie-Salpetriere in France, and the University of Glasgow.
The research was funded by the French government, the European Union and the Wellcome Trust.
The study was published in the peer reviewed Lancet unrestricted open access journal, so it is free to read online.
This research has been widely covered, and most of the media in the UK study reported accurately. The Guardian and The Independent focused on the danger of intensive care services in areas with current outbreaks Zika be overwhelmed.
What kind of research was this?
This was a case-control study, comparing blood tests taken from people diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome with people with acute infection Zika not of Guillain-Barré syndrome or other diseases.
The researchers wanted to see if signs of infection Zika were more frequent in the group that had Guillain-Barre syndrome.
They also wanted to see if signs of infection with dengue virus were more common in people with Guillain-Barré syndrome in people infected Zika, but no signs of nerve damage.
A case-control study can not prove the Zika virus infection causes Guillain-Barre syndrome. However, it does provide evidence to support the theory.
What did the research include?
The researchers took blood samples from all persons admitted to hospital with Guillain-Barré in French Polynesia from October 2013 to February 2014.
He tested them for a series of antibodies to Zika virus and dengue virus, and evidence of active viral infection.
They then tested blood samples from two comparison groups to find links between the Zika virus, Guillain-Barre syndrome and dengue virus.
Group one were people of the same age and from the same island receiving treatment for a disease that causes fever, meaning it was unlikely to be the Zika virus.
Group two people were about the same age as those with Guillain-Barre syndrome treated for acute infection Zika, without any sign of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Everyone in the study with Guillain-Barre syndrome had been diagnosed using the same criteria internationally accepted in a central hospital.
People with syndrome also had other tests, which looked at how his nerves were affected by the disease, and immune responses had participated.
What were the basic results?
Most people with Guillain-Barre syndrome said they were similar to those caused by Zika virus symptoms - such as rash, fever and aches - six days before the onset of symptoms of muscle weakness.
42 diagnosed patients, 41 (98%) had antibodies to Zika virus in their blood, showing they had been recently infected with Zika. Of the 98 people in the first group of comparison, only 35 (36%) had antibodies Zika.
While all patients receiving treatment for Zika had signs of viral infection in the blood Zika, none of Guillain-Barre patients did, suggesting that the syndrome occurs once the body has fought against the virus.
Although most people with Guillain-Barre syndrome also had signs of previous infection with dengue virus (95%), so did most people in the comparison groups (89% and 83%).
How do researchers interpret the results?
The researchers said: "The results of our study support the Zika virus should be added to the list of infectious pathogens likely to cause Guillain-Barre syndrome."
However, they admit they do not know exactly how the Zika virus could trigger the immune reaction that leads to Guillain-Barre syndrome. the possibility of infection with dengue virus were discarded played a role.
They warned that the countries of Central and South America currently experiencing an epidemic of Zika infection should expect "a high number of cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome ... in the coming months."
They added that, "Because the Zika virus is spreading rapidly across the Americas, countries need at risk of being prepared to have adequate capacity for intensive care beds to treat patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome. "
Conclusion
And there were suspicions that the current outbreaks of Zika virus an unusually high number of cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome in the affected areas are activated.
While a study of cases and controls can not provide absolute proof, this study provides the first direct evidence that most people who got Guillain-Barre syndrome during an outbreak of Zika Zika infected with the virus.
Zika infection was also much more common in this group than in people who are being treated similar to other illne
