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

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-Barr¿ 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.