More MS news articles for May 2001

C. Pneumoniae Not Linked To MS

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/articles.asp?SMContentIndex=0&SMContentSet=0

FaxWatch Inc.- May 25, 2001

There is no association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers reported at the general meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Florida.

A team led by Dr. Ellena Peterson of the University of California in Irvine aimed to identify C. pneumoniae in the circulating blood of MS patients. In addition, close friends and relatives of MS patients were designated as control subjects.

The researchers used bacterial culture to identify C. pneumoniae. Moreover, the polymerase chain reaction, a very sensitive molecular technique used to detect the DNA or genetic material of the organism, was performed to assess the presence of C. pneumoniae in samples from MS patients. In addition, the level of antibodies to C. pneumoniae in the blood of both MS patients and healthy subjects were measured.

Samples taken from both MS patients and healthy subjects tested negative for C. pneumoniae. Polymerase chain reactions were negative for this organism, as well.

Moreover, MS patients did not have increased levels of antibody to C. pneumoniae when compared with the healthy controls, the researchers noted.

“In summary, from the data generated in this investigation we have found no evidence for an association of this organism with this chronic disease,” the investigators concluded.