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Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Zimbabwe

Department of Medicine (Drs. Thornton and Latif), University of Zimbabwe School of Medicine, and the Blood Transfusion Service (Dr. Emmanuel), Harare, Zimbabwe.

We studied the clinical features and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serology of 32 consecutive adults with inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (IDP) admitted to the teaching hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe. Twenty-nine of the IDP patients had Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and the other three had chronic IDP. Sixteen of 29 (55%) GBS patients were HIV-seropositive, a higher frequency of HIV infection than in blood donors drawn from the population served by these hospitals. All three chronic IDP patients were HIV-seronegative. In all HIV-seropositive patients, GBS was the initial illness that brought the patient to medical attention and led to the diagnosis of HIV infection. Compared with seronegative patients, the HIV-seropositive GBS patients were more likely to have generalized lymphadenopathy, CSF pleocytosis, coexistent CNS disturbance, and prior sexually transmitted disease. GBS in this region of Africa is frequently associated with HIV infection.

Address conespondence and reprint requests to Dr. Charles A. Thornton, Department of Neurology, Box 673, Strong Memorial Hospital, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642.

Supported by the University of Zimbabwe Research Council and the Kapnek Memorial Trust. Dr. Thornton was the recipient of a Fulbright Lecturing Grant.

Received July 9, 1990. Accepted for publication in final form November 12, 1990.

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