Are Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and Epstein-Barr virus triggers of multiple sclerosis in Sardinia?

Cossu D;Masala S;COCCO, ELEONORA;Paccagnini D;FRAU, JESSICA;MARROSU, MARIA GIOVANNA;Sechi LA

2012-01-01

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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.