title: Nationwide oral poliovirus vaccination campaign and the incidence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
abstract: A retrospective analysis of the incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Finland in 1981-1986 was carried out by careful examination of medical records identified from nationwide Hospital Discharge Register data based on a mean total population of 5 million people. Records from 247 patients fulfilled the accepted criteria of GBS corresponding to a mean annual incidence of 0.82 per 100,000 population. Monthly rates showed an increased incidence of GBS in March 1985, following by a few weeks the onset of the nationwide oral poliovirus vaccine campaign and partly overlapping it. Analysis of the time series in depth suggested, however, that a change point in the occurrence of GBS had already taken place before the oral poliovirus vaccine campaign. Widespread circulation of wild-type 3 poliovirus in the population immediately preceded the oral poliovirus vaccine campaign and the peak occurrence of GBS. These results demonstrate a temporal association between poliovirus infection, caused by either wild virus or live attenuated vaccine, and an episode of increased occurrence of GBS, but they cannot prove the suspected cause-effect relation between GBS and oral poliovirus vaccine administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hyvinkää Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kinnunen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Junttila
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haukka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hovi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral