Guillain-Barré Syndrome Following Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in an Adult Patient

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) stands as one of the primary causes of acute flaccid paralysis. It includes acute-onset peripheral nerve lesions and typically follows a monophasic course. Its etiopathogenesis is linked to an immune-mediated response to a prior infection, often respiratory or intestinal. The main variants of GBS are acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, which accounts for approximately 90% of cases in the USA and Europe, and acute motor axonal neuropathy, responsible for about 10% of cases in the USA and Europe. From the literature review, only one case of GBS preceded by hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has been described. The authors report a rare clinical case of typical GBS after HFMD. Recognizing this adult-onset disease as a potential preceding infection of GBS is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, the integration into a rehabilitation program adjusted to the deficits plays an important role in motor and functional recovery.

Keywords: acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (aidp); coxsackievirus; guillain-barré syndrome; hand-foot-mouth disease; neurological rehabilitation.