Fulminant Guillain-Barré syndrome after Campylobacter jejuni enteritis and monospecific anti-GT1a IgG antibody

Intern Med. 2002 Oct;41(10):889-91. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.41.889.

Abstract

A 21-year-old man developed rapid progression of tetraplegia, bulbar palsy, and respiratory paralysis after Campylobacterjejuni enteritis. Based on the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome, he received plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin. Serum anti-GT1a IgG antibody which lacked cross-reactivity with GQ1b was detected. Four months after the onset, the patient still had severe muscle weakness of the lower limbs. This case suggests that anti-GT1a IgG antibody can be associated with severe paralysis in Guillain-Barré syndrome after C. jejuni enteritis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Campylobacter Infections / complications*
  • Campylobacter Infections / immunology
  • Campylobacter jejuni / isolation & purification*
  • Enteritis / complications*
  • Enteritis / immunology
  • Enteritis / microbiology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • G(M1) Ganglioside / immunology*
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / immunology
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Plasmapheresis / methods
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
  • G(M1) Ganglioside