Key clinical point: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is negatively associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting a possible protective role of the parasite in MS.
Major finding: Anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in 38 MS patients (29.5%) and 130 healthy controls (45.4%). After adjustment, T. gondii seropositivity was significantly associated with a reduced risk of MS (adjusted odds ratio, 0.56; P = .02).
Study details: The data come from an Italian population ‑based case-control study of 129 patients with MS and 287 age- and sex-matched controls.
Disclosures: This research was funded by the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia,” University of Catania, Italy. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: Nicoletti A et al. Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 2. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-75830-y .