Author: Nicolson GL.
Source: Laboratory Medicine.
Year: 2008
Comment: This article discusses amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autism spectrum disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Lyme disease.
Abstract / Excerpt:
Often, patients with neurodegenerative or neurobehavioral diseases have chronic, neuropathic infections that could be important in disease inception, disease progression, or increasing the types or severities of signs and symptoms. Although controversial, the majority of patients with various neurodegenerative or neurobehavioral conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and autistic spectrum disorders, show evidence of central nervous system or systemic bacterial and viral infections. For example, using serology or polymerase chain reaction evidence of Chlamydia pneumoniae, Borrelia burgdorferi, Mycoplasma species, human herpesvirus-1 and -6, and other bacterial and viral infections revealed high infection rates that were not found in control subjects.
Citation: Nicolson GL. Chronic bacterial and viral infections in neurodegenerative and neurobehavioral diseases. Laboratory Medicine. 2008; 39(5):291-9.