Guillain-Barré syndrome is a scary disease to say the least – sufferers can lose control over their muscles, and experience degraded sensation in their hands and feet. This is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the nerve cells which transmit messages around the body.
The disease can spread through the body to the lungs and even the heart – a potentially fatal situation, which can require surgical intervention.
What’s even scarier, is that almost 30% of Guillan-Barré syndrome cases are caused by Campylobacter Jejuni bacteria – a common bacteria which can cause (comparatively) mild food poisoning.
Prevention
The US authority for disease prevention recommends that people involved in the preparation of poultry dishes take extra care in order to halt the spread of the the Campylobacter Jejuni bacteria which causes Guillan-Barré syndrome. Consistent, regular hand washing, thorough sanitisation of preparation surfaces and regular temperature checks are vital.
Perhaps most importantly, make sure to always cook poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 74°c in order to reduce the risk of infection. We need to stress that this is the internal temperature – at the middle – and not the external temperature.
