Introduction:
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is considered the most common cause of
acute flaccid paralysis worldwide.1 Most patients are
presented with an antecedent illness, mostly upper respiratory tract
infections, which occur in accordance with the onset of motor
weakness.2 Numerous endemic and emerging pathogens
have been associated with developing GBS worldwide. Several microbes
including parasites, bacterial, and viral infection are associated with
developing GPS including diseases of high prevalence such as malaria,Campylobacter jejuni infection, Zika virus, and recently
COVID-19.3–6 Additionally, the development of GBS is
associated with several arboviral diseases including Chikungunya,
Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), dengue, Rift Valley fever, and
West Nile virus.6–10 Other viral infection such as
hepatitis E virus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) were
involved in the development of GBS.11 Furthermore,
other infectious diseases such as Helicobacter pylori, leishmaniasis,
and onchocerciasis are also associated with GBS
manifestation.12–14
Unfortunately, a wide range of infectious diseases that are associated
with GBS are endemic in Sudan, particularly arboviral and emerging viral
diseases.15,16 In addition to the recently emerging
COVID-19 infection, endemic viruses associated with GBS that are endemic
in the country include Chikungunya, CCHF, dengue, and Rift Valley fever
as well as EBV, hepatitis E, West Nile, and Zika
viruses.17–26 Other Sudan-endemic infectious diseases
that are associated with GBS include Helicobacter pylori, leishmaniasis,
malaria, and onchocerciasis.17,27–31 However, cases
of GBS recently reported in Sudan were associated with COVID-19
infection.32
In this communication, we report a case of a 41-year-old female
diagnosed with GBS associated with COVID-19 and malaria co-infection in
Sudan.