Serum anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies recognize surface epitopes on Campylobacter jejuni from patients with Miller Fisher syndrome.

Three patients who had diarrhea prior to the development of Miller Fisher syndrome are presented. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from stool specimens from all patients. High titers of anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies were demonstrated in the serum of these patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and thin-layer chromatography overlay. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition studies the anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies bound specifically to whole bacteria of the Miller Fisher syndrome-associated C. jejuni strains. The presence of anti-GQ1b IgG binding epitopes on the surface of the C. jejuni from the patients was not exclusively associated with a specific Penner serotype. It is suggested that anti-GQ1b antibodies are formed during the initial infection that elicits Miller Fisher syndrome. The cross-reactivity of anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies with surface epitopes on Miller Fisher syndrome-associated C. jejuni strains supports the hypothesis of molecular mimicry between bacteria and neural tissue.