Ambiguous value of Haemophilus influenzae isolation in Guillain-Barre and Fisher syndromes.
BACKGROUND
Haemophilus influenzae is considered a causative agent of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Fisher syndrome, but the frequency of this infection in GBS is controversial.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether isolation of H influenzae indicates it is a causative agent in GBS and Fisher syndrome.


RESULTS
Four (15%) of 27 patients with GBS and Fisher syndrome in whom H influenzae was isolated were also seropositive for Campylobacter jejuni. Antiganglioside IgG antibodies in these four patients did not cross react with their H influenzae lipo-oligosaccharides, whereas antiganglioside antibodies in the four patients with positive serology for H influenzae did.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that H influenzae isolation is not always indicative of the causative agent in these syndromes and that tests for other infections should be made, even in cases of positive culture.
Koga
M
M
Department of Neurology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Kitakobayashi 880, Mibu, Shimotsuga, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. kogamrk@dokkyomed.ac.jp
Koike
S
S
Hirata
K
K
Yuki
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D019846:Miller Fisher Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G