Incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome among patients with Campylobacter infection: a general practice research database study.

The association between Campylobacter infection and subsequent Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been well documented. To date, however, there exists no direct estimate of the incidence of GBS among patients with Campylobacter infection. Using the General Practice Research Database, we estimate the incidence of GBS in a cohort of patients presenting with Campylobacter enteritis to be 1.17/1000 person-years, a rate 77 times greater than that in the general population. The probability that an individual who develops Campylobacter enteritis will also develop GBS during the subsequent 2-month period is <2/10,000.