Post-Varicella Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy in a 51-year old Filipino Male: A Case Report

Pariessa D. Dadgardoust, Raymond L.Rosales

Sep 2017 DOI 10.35460/2546-1621.2017-0002     Access   

Abstract

Primary varicella zoster infection is commonly observed in school-aged children. There are increasing reports of adults being affected. Varicella zoster infection has a myriad of clinical complication. The rarer of these complications is GuillanBarre syndrome (GBS) or acute inflammatory demyelinatimgpolyradiculoneuropathy, with less than 50 cases in reported literature. We report a case of a 51-year-old Filipino male who presented with bilateral lower extremity weakness two weeks after a primary varicella infection. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed elevation of CSF protein at 69mg/dl (NV 15 to 45 mg/dl). CSF Varicella virus Immunglobulin G was 1.8 mIU/ml (NV 1.3 mIU/ml) and Immunoglobulin M was at 1 mIU/ml (NV 0.9 mIU/ml). Nerve conduction velocity studies mainly showed a demyelinating form of neuropathy involving motor (predominantly) and sensory nerves. The objective finding in this case as well as the clinical history is indicative of a demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy after a varicella infection. To our awareness and with consideration for its rarity, this was the first Filipino case to be reported with varicella infection and GBS.

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