[Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis after upper respiratory infection]

Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BE) is a very rare neurological condition with subacute onset of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and altered sensorium, often postinfectious. The condition is associated with the anti-GQ1b antibody syndrome and is part of the spectrum of diseases including Miller Fisher syndrome and Guillain-Barré syndrome. In this case, we report the history, workup, treatment and follow-up of a 48-year-old woman with probable BE without anti-GQ1b antibodies in relation to the international diagnostic criteria.