Guillain-Barre syndrome associated with acute cytomegalovirus mononucleosis syndrome

A case of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in a young patient who suffered from an acute cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is presented. The diagnosis was reached following the isolation of the virus from the urine and the demonstration of high titers of both IgM and IgG antibodies in the serum. In contrast to previous cases in which GBS was merely associated with positive serology for CMV, but with almost no clinical manifestations of CMV mononucleosis syndrome, our patient had a full blown picture of acute CMV mononucleosis, including peripheral lymphocytosis, splenomegaly, hepatic involvement and hemolysis. Severe transient hypocomplementemia was also noted.