By Crystal Norman |Staff Writer|
United States Health authorities discovered two cases where the Zika virus may have a relationship with temporary paralysis, according to Time.
Temporary paralysis comes from an autoimmune disorder, called Gullian Barre syndrome (GBS), where the immune system goes “haywire” and attacks the nervous system, according to ABC News.
“It has an immune response that destroys the covering of nerves and interferes with the ability of nerves to function and survive,” said Dr. Bruce Hirsch, an infectious diseases specialist at North Shore University Hospital, in Massachusetts in an interview with CNN.
Though two cases linking the Zika virus and paralysis have been found in the U.S., health authorities haven’t forgotten about the other 22 countries that haven’t had these effects yet.
“People may not see the effects, but still might carry the virus and that’s a scary thing to think about,” said student Esmeralda Carrillo.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently in the process of conducting a health study to confirm that the two are related, according to the Guardian.
In an interview with ABC News William Schaffer, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Center discussed his main concerns with GBS and the Zika virus.
“You can remain paralyzed for weeks. You can get bedsores, complicated pneumonia – you’re subject to all of that for long periods of time,” said Schaffer.
“I couldn’t imagine getting the disease or what I would do if anyone on campus were to be infected,” said student Jessica Hernandez.
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