What Bacteria is Associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)?

Campylobacter jejuni has been shown by several studies to be strongly associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In the landmark Kuroki et al. study C. jejuni was found in approximately 30% of GBS patients compared with only 1.2% of a healthy control population. Several studies have demonstrated similar findings. Another notable cause is cytomegalovirus (CMV).

REFERENCES

1. Kuroki S, Saida T, Nukina M, Haruta T, Yoshioka M, Kobayashi Y, Nakanishi H. Campylobacter jejuni strains from patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome belong mostly to Penner serogroup 19 and contain B-N-acetylglucosamine residues. Ann Neurol. 1993;33:243–247.
2. Nachamkin I, Allos BM, Ho T. Campylobacter Species and Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 1998;11(3):555-567.