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Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection of the central nervous system in patients with multiple sclerosis

¹ Microbiology Department, University College London Hospitals, London WC1E 6DB, UK
² Microbiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond St, London WC1N 3JH
³ Department of Infection Control National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
⁴ Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr S J Furrows
Microbiology Department, University College London Hospitals, Cecil Fleming House, London WC1E 6DB, UK; SFurrows{at}aol.com

ABSTRACT
Background: Chlamydophila pneumoniae has been postulated as an aetiological agent in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis. Previous studies show conflicting results.

Objective: To investigate patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases for evidence of past or present infection with C pneumoniae.

Methods: 19 patients with multiple sclerosis and 29 with other neurological diseases were studied. Evidence was sought for past or present infection with C pneumoniae using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cell culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and microimmunofluorescence of serum.

Results: C pneumoniae was grown from the CSF of one patient with multiple sclerosis. PCR was negative in all cases. Anti-chlamydial antibodies were detected in the same proportion in each group.

Conclusions: This study does not support the theory of an association between C pneumoniae and multiple sclerosis.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis; chlamydophila pneumoniae

Abbreviations: MIF, microimmunofluorescence; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; ELONA, enzyme-linked oligonucleotide assay; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; RFLP, restriction fragment length polymorphism

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Parratt, R. Tavendale, J. O'Riordan, D. Parratt, and R. Swingler Chlamydia pneumoniae-specific serum immune complexes in patients with multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, April 1, 2008; 14(3): 292 - 299. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P G Bagos, G Nikolopoulos, and A Ioannidis Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and the risk of multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2006; 12(4): 397 - 411. [Abstract] [PDF]