Guillain–Barré Syndrome Following Malaria: A Rare Case Report From Rural Ethiopia and Literature Review

TL;DR

A young man in Ethiopia developed Guillain–Barré Syndrome after a malaria infection and made a full recovery with treatment.

Contribution

This is a rare case report linking Plasmodium vivax malaria to Guillain–Barré Syndrome in a rural Ethiopian setting.

Findings

The patient showed typical GBS symptoms like ascending paralysis and albumin-cytologic dissociation in CSF.

Treatment with IVIg and supportive care led to full recovery within 8 weeks.

This case emphasizes the need to consider GBS in malaria-endemic regions with neurological symptoms.

Abstract

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune‐mediated polyradiculoneuropathy often triggered by infections. Malaria, a common parasitic disease in endemic regions, has rarely been associated with GBS. We report a case of a 21‐year‐old male from rural Ethiopia who developed GBS following Plasmodium vivax malaria. The patient presented with ascending paralysis, areflexia, dysphagia, dysarthria, and autonomic dysfunction. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed albumin‐cytologic dissociation, which further strengthens the diagnosis of GBS. He was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and supportive care. The patient achieved full recovery after 8 weeks from the onset of weakness. This case highlights the importance of considering GBS in patients with recent malaria infection and neurological deficits, particularly in malaria‐endemic regions. The rarity of such cases in the literature and the unique clinical course make this report noteworthy.