Guillain-Barre syndrome after snakebite: a case report and systematic review

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a polyneuropathy characterized by acute-onset and immune-mediated processes, triggered by various factors. The occurence of GBS in connection with snakebites is rare. In this report, we present a rare clinical case with neuro-muscular and hematological complications following a snakebite, leading to flask quadriplegia on the 14th day during intensive care follow-up. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis indicated albumin-cytological dissociation, and Electromyography (EMG) revealed findings consistent with acute motor axonal neuropathy, resulting in a diagnosis of GBS. After undergoing plasmapheresis once, the patient swiftly developed refractory septic shock, leading to a fatal outcome. In this study, we report a GBS case as a conseqeunce of snakebite together with a systematic review of the medical literature on the development of GBS after snakebite. Although current case reports and findings have broadened the scope of etiologic hypotheses for GBS including snake envenomation, further studies are needed to confirm the association between GBS following snakebite.

Guillain-Barre syndrome; Snakebite; Acute motor axonal neuropathy

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