Campylobacter jejuni strains from patients with guillain‐barré syndrome belong mostly to penner serogrpup 19 and contain β‐N‐acetylglucosamine residues

Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from stool cultures from 14 (30%) of 46 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome and from 6 (1.2%) of 503 healthy persons, and the difference was highly significant (p < 0.0001). In addition, serological evidence of recent C. jejuni infection was found in 5 of 29 patients with negative stool cultures. Therefore, 41% of patients were associated with C. jejuni infection. Ten of 12 (83%) isolates from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome belonged to Penner serogroup 19, which is a rare serogroup in sporadic patients with C. jejuni enteritis. In the lectin typing study, all serogroup 19 strains from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome were shown to contain terminal beta-N-acetylglucosamine residues on their cell surface, but serogroup 19 strains from patients with enteritis were not.

Epidemiology ofCampylobacter jejuniIsolated from Patients with Guillain-Barré and Fisher Syndromes in Japan

“…Thus, few surveillance studies have included large numbers of patients. Kuroki et al (17) reported that 30% of 46 GBS patients in the Kinki district of Japan had positive stool cultures. In a subsequent study, these authors isolated 13 strains (17%) of C. jejuni from 76 patients (9).…”

Enteric Campylobacter: Purging Its Secrets?

“…Multiple stool samples (or rectal swabs) at the time of presentation are necessary if antecedent C. jejuni is to be detected (114). Serologic studies may also be necessary as the median onset of neuropathic symptoms is 9 d after the onset of diarrhea (110).…”

Detection ofCampylobacter jejuniby Culture and Real-Time PCR in a French Cohort of Patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome

“…Thus, stool analysis must be used systematically in cases of GBS, even if samples are taken late, and especially if there is prodromic diarrhea (20). Collection of two or three stool samples may also improve C. jejuni detection (11). As reported in previous studies (14,18,20), serology was by far the most sensitive technique, enabling two-thirds of C. jejuni-associated cases to be identified.…”