Molecular detection of Parachlamydia-like organisms in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis.
The presence of Chlamydia-like organism DNA was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 27 patients previously found positive for Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA: 12 with multiple sclerosis (MS), grouped according to clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of disease activity, 8 with other inflammatory neurological disorders and 7 with non-inflammatory neurological disorders. PCR evidence of Chlamydia-like organisms in CSF was observed only in two relapsing-remitting MS patients with clinical and MRI disease activity. These findings suggest a possible association between C. pneumoniae and Chlamydia-like organism brain infections as a cofactor in MS development.
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. cnc@unife.it
C
C
Contini
S
S
Seraceni
R
R
Cultrera
M
M
Castellazzi
E
E
Granieri
E
E
Fainardi
D000328:Adult; D002695:Chlamydiales / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004269:DNA, Bacterial