Rare association of herpes simplex virus IgM-specific antibodies and Guillain-Barré syndrome successfully treated with plasma exchange and immunosuppression

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Abstract
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) has been associated with various neurological disorders. In contrast, HSV infection is very rarely found in acute polyneuroradiculitis. In this report, a patient is described with a severe course of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). HSV IgM-specific antibodies and a rise of complement-fixation antibodies were detected. During the acute phase of neurologic syndrome, a nerve biopsy showed myelin damage and IgM deposits on the inner layer of the perineurium. Plasma exchange, in combination with immunosuppression, was successfully applied as a treatment in the relapsing course of GBS. Finally, after recovery, HSV-specific IgM antibodies disappeared.