Potassium channel complex autoimmunity induced by inhaled brain tissue aerosol.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that autoimmunity induced by inhalation of aerosolized brain tissue caused outbreaks of sensory-predominant polyradiculoneuropathy among swine abattoir employees in the Midwestern United States.

Methods: Mice were exposed intranasally, 5 days per week, to liquefied brain tissue. Serum from exposed mice, patients, and unaffected abattoir employees were analyzed for clinically pertinent neural autoantibodies.