COVID-19 Vaccine-induced Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Abstract

Abstract First case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 was detected in Wuhan province of china. Within a year, the vaccine development process accelerated and emergency approval was rolled out for vaccines. Covishield, an adenovirus vector-based vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India, was granted emergency use approval by the subject expert committee under Drug Controller General of India in India in the month of January. Numerous adverse effects are still under study following vaccination. Among them, a very rare complication reported is Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). The relation between coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccine and GBS is still not clear. Here, we present a case of a 32-year-old female with no comorbidities, presented with complaints of bilateral weakness in lower limbs which gradually progressed to upper limbs along with bilateral facial palsy. She had taken her first shot of Covishield vaccine last month. She has no risk factors for GBS, which suggests that it was caused by the vaccine. She was admitted to intensive care unit for further management. This report might help physicians to be more vigilant in evaluating GBS cases especially in the current COVID-19 pandemic era.