CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTIONS AND ANTI-GM2 ANTIBODIES IN GUILLAIN-BARRE-SYNDROME

To investigate whether antecedent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome are associated with the presence of specific antiganglioside antibodies, acute phase serum samples fro m 130 patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome and 200 controls were test ed. Anti-GM2 IgM antibodies were found more often in patients with Gui llain-Barre syndrome with CMV infection (22%) than in patients without the infection (2%) (P = 0.003). CMV infections may elicit anti-GM2 an tibodies in susceptible patients, which may contribute to the pathogen esis of Guillain-Barre syndrome associated with CMV.