AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and Guillain- Barré Syndrome in Tasmania: A causal link?

J Neuroimmunol. 2021 Nov 15:360:577719. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577719. Epub 2021 Sep 17.

Abstract

The emergence of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented an unprecedented global challenge. Vaccines against COVID have been developed to date. Covid-19 has been linked with the development of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare immune-mediated demyelinating neuropathy. We report three cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome and one case of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), presenting to a Tasmanian hospital, and review 15 other reported cases and discuss likely immunopathology. Nearly all reported cases of post-COVID-19 vacciation inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy are linked to AstraZeneca vaccination and a variant with bifacial weakness is the most reported form of GBS globally.

Keywords: AstraZeneca vaccine; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccine; Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP); Guillain-Barre syndrome; Inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / chemically induced*
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Tasmania / epidemiology

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines