The Zika virus causes severe symptoms in children and it is important to find ways to control its incidence. The virus is also connected the Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is also a severe condition.
This paper is a response to the article “Detecting Guillain-Barré Syndrome caused by Zika virus using Systems developed for Polio Surveillance” by Kandel N., Lamichhane J., Tangermann R.H., and Rodier G.R.M.
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The main purpose of this article is to show that Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, related to the mosquito-borne Zika virus can be globally targeted using current national programs for polio detection. The key question that the authors are addressing is how to enhance the surveillance of Guillain-Barre syndrome to detect it given the existing evidence of the connection between the syndrome and the Zika virus. The most important information in this article is that the United Nations global polio eradication program has surveillance systems in 177 countries that currently monitor acute flaccid paralysis as part of the objective of the program (Kandel et al., 2016) . The system can examine the stools of below 15 years old children in laboratories to confirm cases of polio or determine cases of acute flaccid paralysis unrelated to polio cases, which include Guillain-Barre syndrome cases.
The main inferences in this article are that it is vital to enhance Guillain-Barre syndrome surveillance because of the existing evidence regarding the connection between the syndrome and infection caused by the Zika virus. Besides, given the existence of a global surveillance system for polio elimination supported by the United Nations, the same program can be used for monitoring Guillain-Barre syndrome. The authors also conclude that the surveillance systems for polio in numerous countries offer a platform for international infection detection, surveillance and reaction because the reporting systems and laboratory facilities are already in place (Kandel et al., 2016) .
The key concepts we need to understand in the article is Guillain-Barre syndrome results from the unusually small heads caused by the Zika virus and it is a serious disorder that affects mostly adults and that can lead to temporary paralysis. Intensive care may be required by some victims due to breathing difficulties that develop, even though most patients recover completely. Nearly 49 countries have reported active Zika incidences. Besides, globally, 99,582 incidences of acute flaccid paralysis have been detected in children, in which 72 wild poliovirus cases were confirmed in a laboratory. The acute flaccid paralysis yearly rate in the high Zika virus incidence regions ranges from 0.8 to 1.1 for every 100,000 children (Kandel et al., 2016) . By these ideas, the author means that acute flaccid paralysis cases confirmed to be due to Guillain-Barre syndrome can be investigated as the initial stage for testing for the presence of Zika virus.
The main assumptions underlying the author’s thinking are that scientific evidence demonstrates that the Guillain-Barre syndrome is linked to the infection by the Zika virus and that the Zika virus is currently spreading. Since the United Nations has a global system to test for the polio virus, the authors suggest that the same system can be used to test for the presence of Guillain-Barre syndrome to confirm the presence of Zika virus. If we take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are that the Guillain-Barre syndrome would be detected fast, which would be used to test for the Zika virus and help control the spread of the Zika virus. If we fail to take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are that it would be challenging to monitor and report Guillain-Barre syndrome because an established surveillance system to monitor the syndrome is currently unavailable and thus it would be difficult to control the incidences of the Zika virus
In conclusion, the main points of view presented in this article are that there is a connection between Guillain-Barre disorder and infection that the Zika virus causes, which necessitates surveillance of Guillain-Barre disorder. Surveillance of the syndrome can be accomplished through the current surveillance programs such as those used for monitoring acute flaccid paralysis to eliminate polio. The first stage in relation to testing for Zika virus may entail extra analysis of acute flaccid paralysis cases caused by Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Reference
Kandel, N., Lamichhane, J., Tangermann, R. H., & Rodier, G. R. (2016). Detecting Guillain- Barré syndrome caused by Zika virus using systems developed for polio surveillance. Bull World Health Org , 94 , 705-8.
