Increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome during a Chikungunya outbreak, French Polynesia, 2014 to 2015

Euro Surveill. 2015;20(48):30079. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.48.30079.

Abstract

During the recent chikungunya fever outbreak in French Polynesia in October 2014 to March 2015, we observed an abnormally high number of patients with neurological deficit. Clinical presentation and complementary exams were suggestive of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) for nine patients. All nine had a recent dengue-like syndrome and tested positive for chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in serology or RT-PCR. GBS incidence was increased four- to nine-fold during this period, suggesting a link to CHIKV infection.

Keywords: French Polynesia; chikungunya; chikungunya virus; clinic; outbreaks; vector-borne infections; viral infections.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intravenous
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Chikungunya Fever / epidemiology
  • Chikungunya virus / genetics
  • Chikungunya virus / isolation & purification
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Electromyography
  • Female
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / virology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Immunoglobulins / administration & dosage*
  • Immunologic Factors / administration & dosage*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuritis / drug therapy
  • Neuritis / immunology*
  • Polynesia / epidemiology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Immunoglobulins
  • Immunologic Factors