[elegantlywasted (OP)]

Is there a way to test for the syndrome, before showing symptoms? Around 10 years ago my grandmother recived a flu shot and later became paralyzed. I have been avoiding, and never gotten a flu shot for fear that this may be genetic. Anyone (Dr. Chris?) have info???

[another_someone]

Don't know anything personally, but a quick search came up with the following:

http://www.neurologychannel.com/guillain/

Guillain-Barre syndrome is not hereditary or contagious. What causes GBS is not known; however, in about half of all cases the onset of the syndrome follows a viral or bacterial infection, such as the following:

• flu, common cold
• gastrointestinal viral infection
• infectious mononucleosis
• viral hepatitis
• campylobacteriosis (usually from eating undercooked poultry)
• porphyria (rare disease of red blood cells)

A small number of cases have been known to occur after a medical procedure, such as minor surgery.

Guillain-Barre syndrome may be an autoimmune disorder in which the body produces antibodies that damage the myelin sheath that surrounds peripheral nerves. The myelin sheath is a fatty substance that surrounds axons. It increases the speed at which signals travel along the nerves.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm

No one yet knows why Guillain-Barré strikes some people and not others or what sets the disease in motion.

Also:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm

Most patients, however, recover from even the most severe cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, although some continue to have some degree of weakness.

[elegantlywasted (OP)]

Sweet. good to know it isnt hereditary.

[iko]

Hi elegantlywasted,

I post this updated contribution found through PubMed database:

Guillain-Barre syndrome after vaccination in United States a report from the CDC/FDA Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

Souayah N, Nasar A, Suri MF, Qureshi AI.
Epidemiological and Outcomes Research Division, Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 90 Bergen Street, DOC 8100, Newark, NJ 07103, United States. souayani@umdny.edu

Using the data from Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, we present 54 reports of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) after vaccination that occurred in United States in 2004. In 38 of the patients, GBS occurred within 6 weeks. The highest number (n=31) of GBS was observed in patients receiving influenza vaccine followed by hepatitis vaccine (n=9), 1 patient died and 10 patients were disabled following the event. We conclude that vaccines other than influenza vaccine can be associated with GBS.

Vaccine. 2007 Jul 20;25(29):5253-5.



This article offers an overview of the GB-vaccination issue:

Consequence or coincidence? The occurrence, pathogenesis and significance of autoimmune manifestations after viral vaccines.

Schattner A.
Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine, Level 5, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK. as655@medschl.cam.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Viruses and virus-induced lymphokines may have an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity (Schattner A. Clin Immunol Immunopathol; 1994). The occurrence and significance of autoimmune manifestations after the administration of viral vaccines remain controversial.
METHODS: Medline search of all relevant publications from 1966 through June 2004 with special emphasis on search of each individual autoimmune manifestation and vaccination, as well as specifically searching each viral vaccine for all potential autoimmune syndromes reported. All relevant publications were retrieved and critically analyzed.
RESULTS: The most frequently reported autoimmune manifestations for the various vaccinations, were: hepatitis A virus (HAV)--none; hepatitis B virus (HBV)--rheumatoid arthritis, reactive arthritis, vasculitis, encephalitis, neuropathy, thrombocytopenia; measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR)--acute arthritis or arthralgia, chronic arthritis, thrombocytopenia; influenza--Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), vasculitis; polio--GBS; varicella--mainly neurological syndromes. Even these 'frequent' associations relate to a relatively small number of patients. Whenever controlled studies of autoimmunity following viral vaccines were undertaken, no evidence of an association was found.
CONCLUSIONS: Very few patients may develop some autoimmune diseases following viral vaccination (in particular - arthropathy, vasculitis, neurological dysfunction and thrombocytopenia). For the overwhelming majority of people, vaccines are safe and no evidence linking viral vaccines with type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS) or inflammatory bowel disease can be found.

Vaccine. 2005 Jun 10;23(30):3876-86.