Changes in ganglioside antibody positivity rates during the COVID-19 pandemic

Reports suggested an association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and GBS, but subsequent studies produced conflicting results regarding the incidence of GBS during the pandemic. This study assessed positivity rates for GQ1b, GM-1, GD1a, and GD1b for tests performed January 2016, through March 2021, at a national laboratory. Relative to pre-pandemic levels, positivity rates during the pandemic declined by 61% for GQ1b and 24% for GM-1, while unchanged for GD1a and GD1b. These findings suggest heterogeneity with positivity rates of GBS-associated ganglioside antibodies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mitigation strategies during the pandemic may have reduced the frequency of certain forms of GBS.