Campylobacter infection and Guillain–Barré syndrome: public health concerns from a microbial food safety perspective

Abstract

Campylobacteriosis is a leading bacterial food-borne illness in developed countries. Guillain–Barré syndrome is the most common acute flaccid paralysis due to an autoimmune disorder in nature. A considerable number of Guillain–Barré syndrome patients present with a prior history of campylobacteriosis, and Guillain–Barré syndrome is considered a sequela of infections caused specifically by Campylobacter jejuni. Because Campylobacter is normally contracted through consumption of contaminated foods including those derived from food animals, food safety measures aimed at the disruption of oral transmission will not only reduce the prevalence of campylobacteriosis but also potentially lessen the incidence of Guillain–Barré syndrome. An emerging public health concern regarding Campylobacter is the issue of microbial food safety due to increasing numbers of antimicrobial-resistant isolates. Part of the reason to address this emerging microbial food safety concern is to institute and maintain better monitoring and control programs, which require a collective effort among public health authorities.