title: Infections as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that some infectious diseases are related to the occurrence of PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case-control study, conducted in Belgrade during the period 2001-2005, comprised 110 subjects diagnosed for the first time as PD cases, and 220 controls chosen among patients with degenerative joint disease and some diseases of the digestive tract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to logistic regression analysis, PD was significantly related to mumps [odds ratio adjusted on occupation and family history of PD (aOR) = 7.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.77-16.36], scarlet fever (aOR = 12.18, 95% CI = 1.97-75.19), influenza (aOR = 8.01, 95% CI = 4.61-13.92), whooping cough (aOR = 19.90, 95% CI = 2.07-190.66) and herpes simplex infections (aOR = 11.52, 95% CI = 2.25-58.89). Tuberculosis, measles and chicken pox were not associated with PD. Other infectious diseases we asked for were not reported (12 diseases), or were too rare (four diseases) to be analysed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained are in line with the suggestion that some infectious diseases may play a role in the development of PD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology, Facultyof Medicine, Belgrade University, Belgrade, Serbia. kristiv@eunet.rs
authors.forename: Hristina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vlajinac
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dzoljic
authors.forename: Jadranka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maksimovic
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marinkovic
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sipetic
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kostic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors