Utility of serum Campylobacter specific antibodies in determining prior Campylobacter infection in neurological disease

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.