Guillain-Barré syndrome and other neurological manifestations possibly related to Zika virus infection in municipalities from Bahia, Brazil, 2015

Epidemiol Serv Saude. 2017 Jan-Mar;26(1):9-18. doi: 10.5123/S1679-49742017000100002.
[Article in English, Portuguese]

Abstract

Objective: to describe the reported cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and other neurological manifestations with a history of dengue, chikungunya or Zika virus infections, in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador and in the municipality of Feira de Santana, Brazil.

Methods: this is a descriptive study with data of an investigation conducted by the epidemiological surveillance from March to August 2015; to confirm the neurological manifestations, medical diagnosis records were considered, and to prior infection, clinical and laboratory criteria were used.

Results: 138 individuals were investigated, 57 reported infectious process up to 31 days before neurological symptoms - 30 possibly due to Zika, 13 to dengue, 8 to chikungunya and 6 were inconclusive -; GBS was the most frequent neurological condition (n=46), with predominance of male sex (n=32) and the median age was 44.

Conclusion: most cases reported a clinical picture consistent with acute Zika virus disease, which preceded the occurrence of neurological symptoms.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Chikungunya Fever / epidemiology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cities
  • Dengue / epidemiology*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Female
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sex Distribution
  • Young Adult
  • Zika Virus Infection / epidemiology*