Medical professionals in India and England have documented cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome among individuals who received the COVID-19 vaccination.
Guillain-Barré is a rare but serious autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks healthy nerve cells in the peripheral nervous system, which can cause weakness, numbness, tingling and paralysis. Both India and England reported an unusual variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome occurring after a COVID vaccination that is characterized by prominent facial weakness.
According to a research alert from the American Neurological Association, seven cases were reported from a regional medical center in Kerala, India, where about 1.2 million people were vaccinated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Four cases were reported from Nottingham, England — an area where approximately 700,000 people received the same vaccine. All 11 cases were among people who had received that vaccine 10 to 22 days earlier.
According to the alert, the frequency of Guillain-Barré syndrome in both areas was thought to be up to 10 times greater than expected. Authors of both articles are warning clinicians to be vigilant in watching for signs of Guillain-Barré syndrome following COVID-19 immunizations.
SOURCE: Newswise June 21, 2021