Incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome during a nationwide oral poliovirus vaccine campaign.
Concomitant with a nationwide oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) campaign in Finland in 1985, an unexpected rise in the number of patients hospitalized with the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) occurred. An analysis based on hospital records covering a population of 1.17 million and 6 years revealed a significantly increased incidence of GBS coinciding with the OPV campaign. We carefully examined 10 cases with onset of GBS within 10 weeks after immunization. Only 4 patients could recall recent symptomatic infection, and we found no specific agent in these cases. Our study suggests that live-attenuated polioviruses may, like other infectious viruses, sometimes trigger the GBS.
Kinnunen
E
E
Institute of Occupational Health, Department of Neurology, Helsinki, Finland
Färkkilä
M
M
Hovi
T
T
Juntunen
J
J
Weckström
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000517:prevention & control; D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination
D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral