Guillain-Barré Syndrome Following the Administration of Adenovirus Vector-Based COVID-19 Vaccine

"Case presentation: A 32-year-old male presented with progressive weakness initially affecting the bilateral lower extremities and then spreading to the upper extremities starting seven days after receiving the first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Symptoms started the day after vaccination when he had four episodes per day of watery soft diarrhea with undocumented fever lasting for three days. The patient self-medicated with paracetamol and the symptoms eventually subsided. Seven days after vaccination, the patient started to have bilateral symmetrical lower extremity weakness associated with a tingling sensation in the toes and feet. This weakness eventually progressed affecting the bilateral upper extremities without sensory loss. No bowel or bladder symptoms, nor respiratory symptoms were reported at this time...

Discussion: GBS [Guillain-Barré Syndrome] is a neurological disorder involving acute polyneuropathy that is thought to result from molecular mimicry where the immune response to a preceding infection or other event cross-reacts with peripheral nerve components. Although rare, it [GBS] is an adverse event of interest for all COVID-19 vaccines."