[Neurologic involvement in campylobacter infections. 5 cases].

Campylobacter are a newly recognized class of human infectious agents. Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus is a cause of sepsis in immunocompromized hosts. Secondary neurological determinations, meningitis and meningoencephalitis appear to be rare. We report 2 cases, and 8 previously reported cases are reviewed. Campylobacter jejuni appears to be a common bacterial pathogen causing a syndrome of enteritis. Since 1982 it has been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In one serological retrospective study, Campylobacter jejuni was the most common single pathogen identifiable in association with GBS, and these cases were significantly more severe. We report 3 cases with weakness and amyotrophy of distal limbs. Only 10 other cases have been found in the literature. Diarrhoea antedated the neurological illness by 4 to 21 days. In 4 syndromes of Miller-Fisher the prognosis was good. However electrophysiological axonal loss was reported in 6 GBS with poor functional prognosis. The pathogenic role of bacterial toxins and humoral immune response are discussed. Cross-reactivity between Campylobacter jejuni and human sciatic nerve proteins has not been demonstrated using sera from patients with GBS and serological evidence of Campylobacter enteritis.