People infected with Zika virus are suspected to be at a higher risk of developing Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), health officials warn. The virus has been linked to the sudden surge of a neurological disorder that causes paralysis in many Latin American countries.

Unlike microcephaly that causes birth defects and only affects infants, the rare Guillain-Barre syndrome can impact the lives of people from all ages. The immune system of the body attacks parts of the nervous system that causes weakness in the extremities and upper body. In worse cases, it may lead to near-total paralysis.

Latin American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Suriname and Venezuela reported cases of paralysis among patients infected with the mosquito-borne virus.

The health agency launched a probe to determine the cause of the disorder especially as dengue fever, chikungynya and Zika virus have been spreading through these countries simultaneously.

Brazil, which was most ravaged by the virus, Bahia state reported 42 cases of GBS in 2015 wherein 26 of them had a history of being infected with Zika. By November 2015, seven patients with GBS were confirmed for Zika virus infection.

Venezuela reported about 252 cases of GBS occurring in conjunction with the spread of Zika virus. The country reports a total of 5,221 suspected Zika infections while three cases of GBS were confirmed, including one fatal case.

Colombia reports an average of 242 GBS cases annually but in the five weeks since January 30, 86 cases of GBS was reported. Out of the total cases, 57 percent were males and 43 percent were females.

WHO urges countries to adapt a global response needed to monitor and assess the spread of Zika. This will help support countries at risk of the virus and its complications.

"Because the science, and therefore the risk, is not well-understood, the global response needs to be coordinated and adequately-resourced with rapid investigations to understand and then mitigate the impact of Zika virus disease, particularly neurological or auto-immune syndromes and other complications," WHO said [PDF].

Part of the global response is for countries to educate the people about preventing mosquito bites and reducing populations of mosquitoes that transmit Zika virus. This include mosquito-control programs, protecting themselves from mosquito bites by using repellents and advising pregnant women on avoiding travel to Zika-stricken countries.

Photo: John Tann | Flickr