Antibodies against Campylobacter jejuni/coli in patients suffering from campylobacteriosis or inflammatory bowel disease

Sera from 74 patients from the Oslo area and 21 from Northern Norway with compylobacteriosis were analysed for antibodies against an antigen mixture comprising seven Campylobacter jejuni/coli strains including a PEN 0:6,7 isolate representing the most common serotype in Northern Norway. Seventy-seven per cent of the campylobacter patients from the Oslo area and 86% from Northern Norway had elevated antibody levels. Thirty-seven out of 57 (65%) seropositive patients from Oslo and 12 out of 18 (67%) from Northern Norway were positive in more than one immunoglobulin class. None of the patients, all from Northern Norway (N = 56), with inflammatory bowel disease i.e. Mb. Crohn or ulcerative colitis diagnosed for the first time, had elevated antibody levels in two immunoglobulin classes. Apparently campylobacteriosis is not associated with the precipitation of these diseases. Two sets of blood donor sera, from Oslo (N = 28) and Tromsø (N = 37) respectively, served as reference. The IgG antibody levels against C. jejuni/coli antigens in the blood donor group from Tromsø were higher than in the Oslo group.