title: Utility of serum Campylobacter specific antibodies in determining prior Campylobacter infection in neurological disease.
abstract: Campylobacter jejuni has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS); however, little information exists on the utility of Campylobacter serology in determining recent infection in the patient population. C. jejuni specific antibodies (CAs) were measured in 420 blood donors (controls), 99 patients with recent C. jejuni infection, 34 patients with central nervous system disorders (neurology controls), and 44 patients with peripheral nervous system (PNS) disorders: 18 with GBS, 12 with MND and 14 with chronic inflammatory neuropathies. Elevated CA titres consistent with recent C. jejuni infection were found in six of the 44 patients with PNS disorders (three with GBS, two with neuropathy, and one with MND, only one of whom had a history of recent C. jejuni infection), compared with two of 454 controls (p = 0.00001). Therefore, we conclude that CAs are often raised in patients with PNS disorders who do not have a history of recent C. jejuni gastroenteritis, so Campylobacter serology may be an unreliable marker of recent infection in this patient group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. bruce.taylor@chmeds.ac.nz
authors.forename: Bruce V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Jacquie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luck
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGregor
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial