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Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Antigen-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Specific Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Published on: February 24, 2023
Intrathecal antibody responses to GalC in Guillain-Barré syndrome triggered by Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Patrick M Meyer Sauteur1, Ruth Huizinga2, Anne P Tio-Gillen3
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) triggers Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and elicits anti-galactocerebroside (GalC) antibodies. Specifically anti-GalC IgG is associated with Mp-GBS, possibly because of its better ability to cross the blood-nerve barrier (BNB). We here investigated CSF for the presence of anti-GalC in GBS. Intrathecal anti-GalC was found in 46% of Mp-GBS patients (n=6/13), in contrast to 16% of GBS controls (n=4/25) and 0% of non-GBS controls (n=0/7). The antibodies most likely originated from increased BNB permeability and/or intrathecal synthesis. Intrathecal anti-GalC IgG was specifically associated with Mp-GBS, further supporting that anti-GalC IgG contributes to the pathogenesis of GBS.
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