Seroprevalence of Campylobacter jejuni infection in common subtypes of Guillain–Barre syndrome in Kashmiri population

Background Guillain–Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a common differential diagnosis of acute-onset flaccid quadriparesis with or without bulbar involvement. Various illnesses precede GBS, respiratory illness being the most common. Campylobacter jejuni is the single most common organism found associated with GBS. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni positivity in different subtypes of GBS. Methods Sixty patients of GBS were tested for serological evidence of Campylobacter jejuni and compared with 60 age and sex matched controls. Results Mean age of cases was 39.58 (± 14.76 years) and that of controls was 35 (± 12.31 years). Preceding illness was present in 38% cases. Respiratory tract illness was present in 9 (15%) cases, while as GI illness was present in 8 (13%) cases. AIDP was the most common variant accounting for 65% of cases, followed by AMAN (18.3%). Among cases, 24 (40%) tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni antibody whereas only 12 (20%) tested positive for antibody among controls. The difference was statistically significant between cases and controls ( p value = 0.003). There was no statistically significant difference in antibody positivity and preceding illness among different variants of GBS ( p value = 1.0). Conclusion Campylobacter jejuni infection is a frequent preceding illness in GBS patients, although it may be asymptomatic. There is however no relation between different subtypes of GBS and C. jejuni infection.