title: Are Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and Epstein-Barr virus triggers of multiple sclerosis in Sardinia?
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.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Università di Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cossu
authors.forename: Speranza
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masala
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cocco
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paccagnini
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frau
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marrosu
authors.forename: Leonardo A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sechi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D016927:Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral