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Is Guillain–Barré Syndrome Contagious?
Question: Hi, my 7 year old son and I visited his classmate who is in hospital with XXXXXXX barre. Very rare for a child to get it. She was touch and go for a while and in hospital for 7 weeks but looks like she will make a full recovery, she is looking quite well. My question is is it contagious at all? My son has a cut on his lip and his classmate who has XXXXXXX barre had dried blood on her hands, they spent time together and she played his iPad. Could he have caught anything through dry blood contact? I am a concerned mum x
Brief Answer:
Guillain barre syndrome is not contagious
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Guillain barre syndrome is not contagious. It is more of an autoimmune process which affects the nerves of the peripheral nervous system.
2. It causes varying degrees of weakness and loss of sensation which might be severe at times and cause paralysis. In most patients there is complete recovery. At 7 weeks the affected child might be on the road to recovery and you have mentioned that she is looking quite well.
3. The cause of Guillain barre syndrome is linked to a mild bacterial or viral infection preceding the symptoms and which might trigger the immune system to affect the nerves. Not every person getting infected will develop this illness and rarely one gets it.
4. Returning to the question about dry blood on the child, it is unlikely to cause any significant chances of transmission of Guillain barre syndrome. It is not a transmitted disease and there is no serious concern.
5. Speaking about disease transmission by dried blood, in my knowledge hepatitis B and C viruses might survive in dried blood for few days and cause cross contamination. However I guess that the child did not have any of this diseases and therefore there is no need to worry about it.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Guillain barre syndrome is not contagious
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Guillain barre syndrome is not contagious. It is more of an autoimmune process which affects the nerves of the peripheral nervous system.
2. It causes varying degrees of weakness and loss of sensation which might be severe at times and cause paralysis. In most patients there is complete recovery. At 7 weeks the affected child might be on the road to recovery and you have mentioned that she is looking quite well.
3. The cause of Guillain barre syndrome is linked to a mild bacterial or viral infection preceding the symptoms and which might trigger the immune system to affect the nerves. Not every person getting infected will develop this illness and rarely one gets it.
4. Returning to the question about dry blood on the child, it is unlikely to cause any significant chances of transmission of Guillain barre syndrome. It is not a transmitted disease and there is no serious concern.
5. Speaking about disease transmission by dried blood, in my knowledge hepatitis B and C viruses might survive in dried blood for few days and cause cross contamination. However I guess that the child did not have any of this diseases and therefore there is no need to worry about it.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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