MICROBIOLOGIC APPROACHES FOR STUDYING CAMPYLOBACTER SPECIES IN PATIENTS WITH GUILLAIN-BARRE-SYNDROME

Campylobacter jejuni is now considered to be the most common cause of bacterial diarrheal disease in the United States. Sufficient evidence exists to support the hypothesis that C. jejuni induces Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS); however, many questions about the biology of the orga nism and host factors need to be answered. In order to study the role of C. jejuni and other Campylobacter species as a cause of GBS, isolat es from patients with different forms of GBS and appropriate control p opulations must be obtained. To continue to study this association, re search teams must have laboratory support for isolating and characteri zing Campylobacter strains. This review summarizes current knowledge a bout the laboratory aspects of Campylobacter infection that may be per tinent to studies on GBS.