Protection of parasites in multiple sclerosis

2007/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

The Raul Carrea Neurological Research Center of Buenos Aires has investigated in Argentina the impact of parasitic infection on multiple sclerosis. It seems that the infection has a beneficial effect for patients.

Specifically, twenty-four patients with multiple sclerosis have been analyzed for more than four years. Half of them were infected by parasites after diagnosing the disease. Well, of those infected, in the future there were only three episodes of aggression, compared to 56 of those not infected. In addition, all of the latter have suffered brain injuries and only half of those infected.

Doctors don't know what causes multiple sclerosis. They know that the molecules that produce T cells of the immune system favor the attack of the disease. And it has now been shown that T cells in patients with parasitic infection do not generate so many harmful molecules.

They still have to continue investigating, but according to data, there are more cases of multiple sclerosis in Europe and North America than in South America. And in South America parasite infections are frequent, so it can be one of the causes of this difference. In addition, researchers believe that parasite infections also protect against other autoimmune diseases.