BARTONELLA HENSELAE INFECTION ASSOCIATED WITH GUILLAIN-BARRÉ SYNDROME

• Published in: The Pediatric infectious disease journal Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 90 - 91
• Main Authors: Massei, Francesco, Gori, Laura, Taddeucci, Grazia, Macchia, Pierantonio, Maggiore, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-01-2006; Philadelphia, PA Lippincott; Hagerstown, MD
• Subjects: Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Bacterial diseases; Bartonella henselae - immunology; Bartonella henselae - isolation & purification; Bartonellosis; Biological and medical sciences; Cat-Scratch Disease - complications; Child; Female; Guillain-Barre Syndrome - diagnosis; Guillain-Barre Syndrome - etiology; Guillain-Barre Syndrome - physiopathology; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - administration & dosage; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - therapeutic use; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Movement Disorders; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; Polyradiculoneuropathy; Tropical bacterial diseases; cat-scratch disease; Pediatrics; Bartonella; Nervous system diseases; Cat scratch disease; Guillain-Barré syndrome; Inflammatory disease; Infection; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; Bartonellaceae; Peripheral nerve disease; Bartonella henselae; polyradiculoneuropathy; Guillain Barré syndrome
• ISSN: 0891-3668; 1532-0987
• DOI: 10.1097/01.inf.0000195642.28901.98

This is the first report of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) related to Bartonella henselae infection. A 10-year-old girl had difficulty walking and marked myalgia. The search for all causes known to trigger GBS was negative. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulins and recovered. Because she lived in a rural area and had a history of kitten contact, a specific serology for B. henselae infection was performed and confirmed an ongoing infection. She did not show any clinical typical feature of cat-scratch disease. B. henselae infection should be considered in the wide etiologic spectrum of GBS.