Zika virus outbreak in New Caledonia and Guillain-Barré syndrome: a case-control study

• Published in: Journal of neurovirology Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 362 - 368
• Main Authors: Simon, Olivier, Acket, Blandine, Forfait, Carole, Girault, Dominique, Gourinat, Ann-Claire, Millon, Pauline, Daures, Maguy, Vanhomwegen, Jessica, Billot, Segolene, Biron, Antoine, Hoinard, Damien, Descloux, Elodie, Guyon, David, Manuguerra, Jean Claude, Laumond, Sylvie, Molko, Nicolas, Dupont-Rouzeyrol, Myrielle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.06.2018; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Immunology; Infectious Diseases; Life Sciences; Microbiology and Parasitology; Neurology; Neurosciences; Short Communication; Virology; Zika virus; Case control study; Guillain-Barré syndrome; New Caledonia
• ISSN: 1355-0284; 1538-2443
• DOI: 10.1007/s13365-018-0621-9

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been associated with neurologic disorders including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In New Caledonia during the ZIKV outbreak (2014–2015), case-control and retrospective studies have been performed to assess the link between ZIKV and GBS. Among the 15 cases included, 33% had evidence of a recent ZIKV infection compared to only 3.3% in the 30 controls involved. All patients were Melanesian, had facial diplegia and similar neurophysiological pattern consistent with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and recovered well. Furthermore, during the peak of ZIKV transmission, we observed a number of GBS cases higher than the calculated upper limit, emphasizing the fact that ZIKV is now a major trigger of GBS.