g(m2)-ganglioside and Hepatitis-E

Hepatitis E infection is most prevalent in developing countries with poor sanitation, but can also occur apparently sporadically in more developed areas.. We here report a second European case of Guillain-Barre syndrome due to hepatitis E infection in association with anti-glycolipid GM2 antibody.. This is likely to be a specific association involving molecular mimicry, and further European cases can therefore be expected.

Topics: Adult; G(M2) Ganglioside; Guillain-Barre Syndrome; Hepatitis E; Humans; Male; Neural Conduction; Respiration, Artificial

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is often triggered by a preceding bacterial or viral infection. Occasionally, it has been observed in association with acute hepatitis A, B and C, and three cases have been previously described in India in which GBS was associated with acute hepatitis E. A molecular mimicry mechanism is supposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of GBS triggered by infectious agents, although the nature of the shared epitopes has not been characterized in most instances, including that in the case of hepatotropic viruses. We report a case of GBS following acute hepatitis E in a European individual. The presence of antiganglioside GM2 antibodies in this patient suggested molecular mimicry involving ganglioside GM2 in the pathogenesis of GBS associated with hepatitis E.

Topics: Aged; Autoantibodies; G(M2) Ganglioside; Guillain-Barre Syndrome; Hepatitis E; Humans; Male; Molecular Mimicry