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Leprosy with Guillain Barre Syndrome: A New Neurologic Manifestation?
Author(s) -
Grover Chander,
Kubba Samir,
Nanda Soni,
Kumar Vijay,
Reddy Belum Siva Nagi
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2004.tb00520.x
Subject(s) - guillain barre syndrome , medicine , prednisolone , plasmapheresis , leprosy , cerebrospinal fluid , vasculitis , nerve biopsy , dermatology , skin biopsy , immunology , biopsy , pathology , antibody , surgery , peripheral neuropathy , disease , endocrinology , diabetes mellitus
A 19‐year‐old female patient of lepromatous leprosy with Type II reaction, on multidrug therapy and prednisolone, presented with acute onset flaccid quadriparesis. The cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed albumino‐cytologic dissociation. Nerve biopsy showed infiltration with lepra bacilli, features of vasculitis, and demyelination. There were no other identifiable precipitating factors for Guillain Barre Syndrome in this patient. Her condition improved without any steroid therapy. This case emphasizes the hypothesis that cell injury caused by Type II reaction can expose neural antigens and incite an autoimmune reaction in the form of Guillain Barre Syndrome.