Microbes, Immunity and Multiple Sclerosis

摘要

Abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be considered a disease that appears in genetically predisposed persons who, by nchance, are also affected by some unknown environmental factor, probably infectious, that sets in motion an abnormal nimmune response leading to an autoimmune disease. Infectious agents are involved in the appearance of autoreactive T ncells against myelin via various mechanisms, such as molecular mimetism or acting as superantigens. Numerous possible nmicroorganisms have been suggested, including bacteria like Chlamydophila pneumoniae and many viruses, e.g., canine ndistemper virus, measles, varicella zoster, human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The association nwith EBV is the best studied over recent years. The frequency (incidence and prevalence) of MS seems to be increasing, nwhich is better explained by the effect of some environmental factor. In this study we analyze some of the infectious nagents that have been associated with the disease and discuss the hygiene hypothesis, which is one of the possible nexplanations for the epidemiological changes reported over recent decades.