Guillain-Barre syndrome is an autoimmune nerve disorder caused by a faulty immune system response. There is a possible link between the disorder and vaccination, particularly with flu shots, but studies have been inconsistent. While a slightly higher incidence rate of Guillain-Barre syndrome has been observed with the swine flu vaccine, catching the flu poses a much more significant risk. Vaccination is recommended as the best safeguard against influenza.
The general cause of Guillain-Barre syndrome is a faulty immune system response that causes parts of the nervous system to attack, usually in reaction to the presence of foreign agents. These substances include the influenza virus, which can cause an immune system reaction. Studies have observed a possible link between Guillain-Barre syndrome and vaccination, particularly in the potentially higher incidence of the disorder in individuals given flu shots.
Guillain-Barre syndrome is significant in its designation as an autoimmune nerve disorder due to the severe, sometimes fatal symptoms that affected patients can endure. The possible connection between Guillain-Barre syndrome and vaccination was first brought to light in 1976 during a nationwide swine flu vaccination campaign, when 25 people died from complications of Guillain-Barre. .
An investigation was launched that revealed a higher incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome in flu vaccine recipients than in non-recipients: one additional case of Guillan-Barre for every 100,000 shots, or 10 per million. However, the results of these previous investigations, which appeared to have discovered a link between Guillain-Barre syndrome and vaccination, remain uncertain. It had also been theorized that the flu shot may not have been the direct cause in these cases, but rather a consequence of contamination in the supply of the vaccine.
Guillain-Barre syndrome has not had a statistically clear association with any other flu vaccine since swine flu cases in 1976, and most studies have found no causal relationship between Guillain-Barre syndrome and vaccination. Only two studies since then have reported a slight risk of increased incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome in those who receive the seasonal flu vaccination – about one extra case for every 1,000,000 vaccinations. Overall, the connection between Guillain-Barre syndrome and seasonal flu vaccination has been inconsistent. The rarity of this disorder in all populations, estimated at one to two cases in 100,000, complicates efforts to determine whether its occurrence in vaccinated individuals could be considered a definitive side effect of vaccination.
Studies continue as scientists examine the uncertain connection between Guillain-Barre syndrome and vaccination, and vaccine safety and reporting systems are being created to track and identify cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome that appear in individuals after receiving the flu vaccine. While a slightly higher incidence rate of Guillain-Barre syndrome has been observed with the swine flu vaccine, the possibility of developing serious complications from catching the flu is a much more significant risk. An estimated 30,000 deaths occur each year from complications of influenza, and vaccination is recommended as the best safeguard.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
