Overview

Incidence

• ∼ 1 case per 100,000 individuals

• Adults are affected more frequently than children.

Sex: ♂ > ♀ (1.5:1)

Overview

• About ⅔ of GBS patients experience symptoms of an upper respiratory or gastrointestinal tract infection 1–4 weeks prior to onset of GBS. [1]

• The causal connection between pathogens and GBS is still undetermined.

Associated pathogens [1][3][4]

• Campylobacter jejuni: campylobacter enteritis is the most common disease associated with GBS.

• Cytomegalovirus: most common virus associated with GBS

• HIV

• Influenza

• Zika virus

• Epstein-Barr virus

• SARS-CoV-2

• Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Vaccination

• There have been reports of small increases in incidence after administration of certain vaccines. [5]

• In the US, Guillain-Barré syndrome is listed as vaccination injury for the seasonal influenza vaccines.

Postinfectious autoimmune reaction that generates cross-reactive antibodies (molecular mimicry)

Infection triggers humoral response → formation of autoantibodies against gangliosides (e.g., GM1, GD1a) or other unknown antigens of peripheral Schwann cells → immune-mediated segmental demyelination → axonal degeneration of motor and sensory fibers in peripheral and cranial nerves (CN III–XII)