Molecular detection of Parachlamydia -like organisms in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The presence of Chlamydia-like organism DNA was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 27 patients previously found positive for Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA: 12 with multiple sclerosis (MS), grouped according to clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of disease activity, 8 with other inflammatory neurological disorders and 7 with non-inflammatory neurological disorders. PCR evidence of Chlamydia-like organisms in CSF was observed only in two relapsing–remitting MS patients with clinical and MRI disease activity. These findings suggest a possible association between C. pneumoniae and Chlamydia-like organism brain infections as a cofactor in MS development.

Keywords

Chlamydia-like organisms cerebrospinal fluid multiple sclerosis polymerase chain reaction

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