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Guillain-Barré syndrome

American  
[gee-yan-buh-rey] / giˈjæn 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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Guillain-Barré syndrome

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Since its inception, the compensation fund has paid about $4.8 billion in awards for harm from serious side effects, such as life-threatening allergic reactions and Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune condition that can cause paralysis.

From Salon Jul. 17, 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

The first baseman missed the team’s eight-game trip after Maximus was taken to the hospital on July 26 with Guillain-Barré syndrome — a nerve disorder that can cause paralysis.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 4, 2024

Vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus may have caused a few cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition, federal health officials said on Thursday.

From New York Times Feb. 29, 2024

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