Guillain-Barre syndrome in the United States, 1979-1980 and 1980-1981. Lack of an association with influenza vaccination

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Abstract
An ongoing surveillance program was intensified during the 1979-1980 and the 1980-1981 influenza seasons to determine whether an increased risk of acquiring Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) within 8 wk after influenza vaccination existed for adults in the USA who received influenza vaccine, when compared with adults who had not been vaccinated recently. There were 528 cases of GBS with onset between Sept. 1 and March 31, including 7 following recent vaccination, reported by participating neurologists in 1979-1980; there were 459 cases, including 12 following recent vaccination, reported in 1980-1981. The relative risk of acquiring GBS following influenza vaccination, 0.6 in 1979-1980 and 1.4 in 1980-1981, was not significantly different from 1.0 in either season. Thus, there apparently was no increased risk of acquiring GBS associated with the influenza vaccines administered during these seasons and the causative trigger agent, in the A/New Jersey (swine) influenza vaccine administered in 1976, evidently has not been present in subsequent influenza vaccine preparations.