Undercooked Poultry Meat Can Cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome

A funded research in Michigan University discovered a common bacterium from an undercooked chicken which causes GBS. Guillain-Barre Syndrome is the rapid weakness of muscles which is usually caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system.

The common symptoms of the syndrome are vomiting, diarrhea and later on numbness, tingling, and pain. It could be felt alone or in combination and followed by weakness that takes a day to two weeks and becomes steady. Some muscles in the body including neck may be affected too.

Linda Mansfield together with her colleagues showed how Campylobacter Jejuni can lead to the syndrome. At the same time, they have shared some of the possible treatments that can provide more of successful results in their study that was published in the journal of Autoimmunity. According to Mansfield that it takes a definite genetic make-up combined with a certain Campylobacter strain to cause this disease.

Annually, there are an estimated two million cases of Campylobacter Enteritis and five to seven percent of gastroenteritis in the United States alone. The organisms are usually found in poultry including chickens, turkeys, and other bird species. Another area related to the increase of the disease is due to Zika virus.

Treatment for the syndrome does exist but has limited choices and failed in numbers of cases. On the recent study, it shows that certain antibiotics doesn't effect as a treatment and can even worsen the condition. As for Mansfield, finding a new option for the treatment would be great, but prevention of the syndrome is the best strategic way as it is to prevent people from suffering paralysis that can put their lives in serious danger as it gets worst. Mansfield and her team have deepened their study and is currently doing some clinical test and trial that would help them discover the best drug as for the treatment.