Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Borrelia burgdorferi infections in patients with multiple sclerosis in Poland

TL;DR

This study explores how infections with Toxoplasma gondii and Borrelia burgdorferi may be linked to multiple sclerosis in Poland.

Contribution

The study suggests a protective role of Toxoplasma gondii and a positive association of Borrelia with multiple sclerosis.

Findings

High Toxoplasma IgM seropositivity was found in MS patients on immunomodulatory drugs.

Borrelia infections appear positively associated with MS.

Further studies are needed to clarify the role of infections in MS.

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that affects mainly young people. It is believed that the autoimmune process observed in the pathogenesis of MS is influenced by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors, including infectious agents. The results of this study suggest the protective role of Toxoplasma gondii infections in MS. Interestingly, high Toxoplasma IgM seropositivity in MS patients receiving immunomodulatory drugs (IMDs) was identified. On the other hand, Borrelia infections seem to be positively associated with MS. Although the interpretation of our results is limited by the retrospective nature of the studies, the results strongly indicate that further experimental and clinical studies are needed to explain the role of infectious agents in the development and pathophysiological mechanisms of MS.

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