Measles virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome during long-term hemodialysis

Abstract

In a black man, recently receiving long-term hemodialysis, a severe, rapidly progressive polyradiculoneuritis (Guillain-Barré syndrome) developed. Routine virologic study revealed a high antimeasles virus antibody titer (1:1280 by hemagglutination-inhibition) which progressively decreased. There was no clinical evidence of measles. Discussed here is the possible relationship between the Guillain-Barré syndrome and clinically inapparent measles associated with and perhaps modified by the uremic state.