Guillain-Barre Syndrome in a Boy With Lung Fluke Infection: Case Report and Literature Review

Guillain-Barre syndrome is the most common acute peripheral neuropathy in children in most countries. The cause and pathogenesis of the disease have yet to be clarified. There have been only a few reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome resulting from parasite infections worldwide, no cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome after lung fluke infection have been reported. We report a case of an 8-year-old male patient with Guillain-Barre syndrome after lung fluke infection. The child had a history of consumption of undercooked crabs. He was diagnosed with paragonimiasis. The patient experienced paralysis of and pain in the lower limbs about 3 weeks after symptom onset. Neurologic and electrophysiologic examination findings supported the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Parasitic infections should also be considered when determining which antecedent infection is associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome.