Microbiology Fun Facts

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)

 * rare condition that can be preceded by a viral or bacterial infection
 * autoimmune reaction against myelinated nerve cells
 * loss of sensation and function
 * first symptoms are tingling and weakness in affected tissues
 * intensify over several weeks and can culminate in complete paralysis
 * caused by Campylobacter jejuni (most common), cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Zika virus
 * most cases spontaneously resolve within a few months with few permanent side-effects
 * treated by plasmapheresis (plasma filtered from blood to remove autoantibodies)