Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa

Introduction: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by acute or subacute symmetrical ascending motor weakness, areflexia, and mild-to-moderate sensory abnormalities. Campylobacter jejuni is reported to be the most common bacterium associated with GBS cases. Despite th...

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Main Authors: Mandile Samantha Thobela, Anthony Marius Smith, Shelina Moonsamy, Heleen du Plessis, Nevashan Govender, Karen Helena Keddy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2018-07-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/9795
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author Mandile Samantha Thobela
Anthony Marius Smith
Shelina Moonsamy
Heleen du Plessis
Nevashan Govender
Karen Helena Keddy
author_facet Mandile Samantha Thobela
Anthony Marius Smith
Shelina Moonsamy
Heleen du Plessis
Nevashan Govender
Karen Helena Keddy
author_sort Mandile Samantha Thobela
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by acute or subacute symmetrical ascending motor weakness, areflexia, and mild-to-moderate sensory abnormalities. Campylobacter jejuni is reported to be the most common bacterium associated with GBS cases. Despite the eradication of polio, the number of reported GBS cases remains considerably high in South Africa with the causative agents not being well described. Methodology: The aim of the study was to investigate the proportion of Campylobacter spp. detected in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Stool specimens from patients presenting with AFP, that were negative for polio and non-polio enteroviruses (NPENT), were processed and screened for the presence of Campylobacter spp. using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results: Of the 512 stool specimens screened between October 2014 to December 2015, 12% (62/512) were positive for Campylobacter spp. Of these 62 Campylobacter infections: 77.4% (48/62) was C. jejuni; 19.4% (12/62) was Campylobacter coli; 3.2% (2/62) was mixed infections of C. jejuni and C. coli. Conclusions: True association of the disease with Campylobacter spp. will enable the proportion of Campylobacter-induced GBS to be better described in South Africa; this can only be done through systematic studies that include bacterial culture and serology together with molecular methodologies.
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spelling doaj-art-d5deefba29cf499a8db5aec654d1daa42025-08-20T03:52:41ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802018-07-01120710.3855/jidc.9795Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South AfricaMandile Samantha Thobela0Anthony Marius Smith1Shelina Moonsamy2Heleen du Plessis3Nevashan Govender4Karen Helena Keddy5National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South AfricaNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South AfricaNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South AfricaNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South AfricaNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South AfricaNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa Introduction: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by acute or subacute symmetrical ascending motor weakness, areflexia, and mild-to-moderate sensory abnormalities. Campylobacter jejuni is reported to be the most common bacterium associated with GBS cases. Despite the eradication of polio, the number of reported GBS cases remains considerably high in South Africa with the causative agents not being well described. Methodology: The aim of the study was to investigate the proportion of Campylobacter spp. detected in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Stool specimens from patients presenting with AFP, that were negative for polio and non-polio enteroviruses (NPENT), were processed and screened for the presence of Campylobacter spp. using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results: Of the 512 stool specimens screened between October 2014 to December 2015, 12% (62/512) were positive for Campylobacter spp. Of these 62 Campylobacter infections: 77.4% (48/62) was C. jejuni; 19.4% (12/62) was Campylobacter coli; 3.2% (2/62) was mixed infections of C. jejuni and C. coli. Conclusions: True association of the disease with Campylobacter spp. will enable the proportion of Campylobacter-induced GBS to be better described in South Africa; this can only be done through systematic studies that include bacterial culture and serology together with molecular methodologies. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/9795Campylobacteracute flaccid paralysisAFPGuillain-Barré syndromeGBSquantitative PCR
spellingShingle Mandile Samantha Thobela
Anthony Marius Smith
Shelina Moonsamy
Heleen du Plessis
Nevashan Govender
Karen Helena Keddy
Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Campylobacter
acute flaccid paralysis
AFP
Guillain-Barré syndrome
GBS
quantitative PCR
title Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa
title_full Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa
title_fullStr Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa
title_short Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa
title_sort detection of campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in south africa
topic Campylobacter
acute flaccid paralysis
AFP
Guillain-Barré syndrome
GBS
quantitative PCR
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/9795
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