Guillain-Barré syndrome

American  

[gee-yan-buh-rey] / giˈyæn bəˈreɪ /

noun

Pathology.

1. an uncommon, usually self-limited form of polyneuritis, occurring after a viral illness or immunization and manifested by loss of muscle strength, loss of or altered sensation and sometimes paralysis.

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Guillain-Barré syndrome British  

/ ˌɡije ˈbareɪ /

noun

1. an acute neurological disorder, usually following a virus or bacterial infection, that causes progressive muscle weakness and partial paralysis

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Etymology

Origin of Guillain-Barré syndrome

After French physicians Georges Guillain (1876–1961) and Jean Alexandre Barré (1880–1967), who described it

Example Sentences

Among them were the wife and children of Dale Robertson, who used a ventilator after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare and paralyzing autoimmune disorder.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2025

Donnie died on 6 March 1941 of a rare condition called Landry's Paralysis - known in the UK as the Guillain-Barré syndrome - where the immune system attacks the nervous system.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2025

What is known is that up to 11 percent of patients with certain neurological conditions such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and neuralgic amyotrophy either have HEV antibodies or are infected with the virus.

From Science Daily • Nov. 18, 2024

Two are associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is no longer available in the United States: Guillain-Barré syndrome, a known side effect of other vaccines, including the flu shot; and a blood-clotting disorder.

From New York Times • May 3, 2024

There was also a 2.5-times increased risk of developing the rare autoimmune disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome linked to those who received AstraZeneca’s vaccine.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2024