Vaccine-associated acute polyneuropathy resembling Guillain-Barré syndrome in a dog

Authors
E. Quiroz-Rothe , P.J. Ginel (2), J. P?rez (3), R. Lucena , J.L.L. Rivero
Date
2005
Journal
EJCAP
Volume
15
Number
1

A 3.5 year-old male Rottweiler developed generalized acute progressive weakness 15 days after receiving an inactivated rabies vaccine. At clinical examination there was symmetrical quadriparesis with reduced spinal reflexes, cranial nerve function was normal and neither ataxia nor abnormal postural reactions were detected. Muscle biopsies from the semitendinosus muscle showed clear signs of denervation atrophy. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of antibodies against the myelin sheaths of peripheral nerves. Three months later clinical signs relapsed after receiving an inactivated tetravalent vaccine not including rabies virus. The pathogenesis, clinical and pathological signs of this case report resemble the acute forms of human Guillain-Barr? syndrome. The presence of anti-myelin antibodies and the association between clinical signs and previous vaccination with two different vaccines free of myelin, strongly suggests a polyclonal immune response induced by the vaccine immunoadjuvants or by the viral antigens. Although this side effect can be considered exceptional it may encourage the use of non-adjuvated vaccines.