Risk of Guillain–Barré syndrome from fresh chicken in the United Kingdom

A recent survey by the Food Standards Authority indicated that nearly two-thirds of chickens sold by major retailers in the UK are contaminated with the bacterium Campylobacter. From a public health and neurological perspective campylobacteriosis is of great importance. Not only is it a frequent source of food poisoning, but one species, Campylobacter jejuni, is also known to trigger Guillain–Barré syndrome, the most common cause of flaccid paralysis worldwide. Here we briefly review the pathogenesis of Guillain–Barré syndrome and highlight clinical features of the disease.