Are Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and Epstein-Barr virus triggers of multiple sclerosis in Sardinia?

Mult Scler. 2012 Aug;18(8):1181-4. doi: 10.1177/1352458511433430. Epub 2012 Jan 19.

Abstract

Sardinia acts as an ideal setting for multiple sclerosis (MS) studies because its prevalence of MS is one of the highest worldwide. Several pathogens have been investigated amongst 119 Sardinian MS patients and 117 healthy controls to determine whether they might have a role in triggering MS in genetically predisposed individuals. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and Epstein Barr virus DNA were detected in 27.5% and 17.3%, respectively, of the MS patients. Moreover an extremely high humoral immune response against MAP recombinant protein MAP FprB (homologous to human myelin P0) was observed, whereas no significant results were found against Mycobacterium tuberculosis FprA and Helicobacter pylori HP986 protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • DNA, Viral / isolation & purification
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / diagnosis
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / epidemiology
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / virology*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / isolation & purification*
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Humoral
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis / epidemiology
  • Multiple Sclerosis / genetics
  • Multiple Sclerosis / microbiology*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / virology*
  • Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / pathogenicity
  • Odds Ratio
  • Paratuberculosis / diagnosis
  • Paratuberculosis / epidemiology
  • Paratuberculosis / immunology
  • Paratuberculosis / microbiology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Viral