Pediatr Infect Vaccine.  2016 Dec;23(3):236-239. 10.14776/piv.2016.23.3.236.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Caused by Influenza Virus

• Choi HG
• Yeon GM

• KMID: 2362484
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/piv.2016.23.3.236

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is caused by antecedent infectious diseases in approximately two-thirds of cases. GBS is considered an autoimmune response. Among reported preceding infections, influenza virus is relatively rare. Several reports have identified antibodies related to GBS pathogenesis. However, no case report has described the detection of influenza virus in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a patient with GBS by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Here we report the case of a 6-year-old girl who was diagnosed with influenza A 1 week prior and was treated with oseltamivir, after which she visited our hospital for headache and bilateral leg weakness that had persisted for 1 day. We diagnosed her with GBS based on physical and neurologic examination findings, CSF analysis, nerve conduction velocity test results, spinal magnetic resonance imaging, and detection of influenza A virus in her CSF by PCR. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and her symptoms slowly improved. This case report suggests that GBS may be caused by influenza virus through penetration of the CSF.

Keyword

Guillain-Barre syndrome; Influenza, human; Polymerase chain reaction; Cerebrospinal fluid

MeSH Terms

Antibodies
Autoimmunity
Cerebrospinal Fluid
Child
Communicable Diseases
Female
Guillain-Barre Syndrome*
Headache
Humans
Immunoglobulins
Influenza A virus
Influenza, Human*
Leg
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neural Conduction
Neurologic Examination
Orthomyxoviridae*
Oseltamivir
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Antibodies
Immunoglobulins
Oseltamivir

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