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An MRI study of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in Italian multiple sclerosis patients

Department of Neurosciences, AUSL 2 Caltanissetta, Via G. Cusmano 3, 93100 Caltanissetta, Italy, Neuroimmunology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20100, Milan, Italy, luigi.grimaldi{at}hsr.it

A Pincherle

Neuroimmunology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20100, Milan, Italy

F Martinelli-Boneschi

Neurological Department, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20100, Milan, Italy

M Filippi

Neuroimaging Research Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20100, Milan, Italy

F Patti

Neurological Department, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95100, Catania, Italy

A Reggio

Neurological Department, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95100, Catania, Italy

D Franciotta

IRCCS Neurological Institute ‘C. Mondino Foundation’, Via Palestro 3, 27100, Pavia, Italy

L Allegra

Institute of Respiratory Diseases, University of Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, Via F. Sforza 35, 20100, Milan, Italy

G Comi

Neurological Department, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20100, Milan, Italy

F Blasi

Institute of Respiratory Diseases, University of Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, Via F. Sforza 35, 20100, Milan, Italy

We amplified sequences of the Chlamydia pneumoniae (C P) major-outer membrane protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 23 of 107 (21.5%) relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and two of 77 (2.6%) patients with other neurological diseases (OND) (P =0.00022). C P+ patients showed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of more active disease (P =0.02) compared to CP-MS patients and tended to have an anticipation of age at disease onset (32.39-12 versus 28.59-10 years; P =ns) causing a longer disease duration (7.59-5 versus 4.49-4 years; P =0.016) at the time of clinical evaluation. These findings, although indirectly, suggest that C P infection of the central nervous system (C NS) might affect disease course in a subgroup of MS patients.

Key Words: cerebrospinal fiuid • C hlamydia pneumoniae • multiple sclerosis • MRI • PC R

Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 9, No. 5, 467-471 (2003)
DOI: 10.1191/1352458503ms944oa


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