Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Campylobacter jejuni infection in England, 2000-2001.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare but serious complication of infectious intestinal disease due to Campylobacter jejuni. To date, estimates of the burden of C. jejuni-associated GBS have been based on limited data regarding the proportion of GBS attributable to this pathogen. In this paper, we combine data obtained from Sweden and a large study of infectious intestinal disease with routine and surveillance data from England to estimate the number and proportion of GBS cases attributable to C. jejuni. We estimate that, between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001, symptomatic C. jejuni infection was responsible for 157 cases of GBS, constituting approximately 15% of all GBS cases in England.
Tam
Clarence C
CC
Gastrointestinal Diseases Division, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. ctam@phls.org.uk
Rodrigues
Laura C
LC
O'Brien
Sarah J
SJ
D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology