This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Aetiology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Guillain-Barre syndrome occurs sporadically at any age from early infancy.

It often follows viral infections:

  • cytomegalovirus is most common
  • infectious mononucleosis
  • mumps
  • measles
  • echovirus
  • coxsackie virus
  • influenza virus infections

The viral illness has usually run its course by the time the neurological symptoms appear, and there is no evidence for viral invasion of the nervous system. About 2.5% of cases occur in patients with autoimmune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Other associations include:

  • campylobacter jejuni
  • mycoplasma pneumoniae
  • salmonella
  • immunisations with both live and dead vaccines
  • trauma
  • surgery
  • rarely, malignancy

Reference:

(1) J Neuroimmunol 1999 Dec;100(1-2):74-97 Pathogenesis of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Hughes RA, Hadden RD, Gregson NA, Smith KJ.


Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.