Guillain-Barré Syndrome Associated with Zika Virus Infection in a Traveler Returning from Guyana.
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus with a significant public health impact highlighted by the ongoing epidemic in the Americas. We describe a 44-year-old male presenting to our tropical medicine center with complaints of fever, headache, joint pain, and rash after recent travel to Guyana. The patient subsequently developed gait imbalance and lower extremity weakness with clinical examination, cerebrospinal fluid studies, and magnetic resonance imaging of the spine consistent with a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). ZIKV infection was confirmed via detection of ZIKV RNA in urine by polymerase chain reaction. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and experienced near-complete neurologic recovery, reporting ongoing mild paresthesia up to 2 months later. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by ZIKV and underscores the need for clinician awareness of the potential for neurological complications such as GBS with ZIKV infection.
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ryan G
RG
Fabrizius
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.|Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Bangkok, Thailand.
Kathryn
K
Anderson
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.|HealthPartners Medical Group, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Brett
B
Hendel-Paterson
HealthPartners Medical Group, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Robyn M
RM
Kaiser
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.|HealthPartners Medical Group, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Salahudin
S
Maalim
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. patricia.f.walker@healthpartners.com.|HealthPartners Medical Group, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Patricia F
PF
Walker
D000328:Adult; D058872:Epidemics; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006172:Guyana; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014195:Travel; D000071244:Zika Virus; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D012367:RNA, Viral