The role of Bordetella pertussis in the development of multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders which main cause is not identified yet. Some studies mentioned the possible role of infectious agents such as chlamydia pneumonia, mycoplasma and also, B. pertussis via asymptomatic nasopharyngeal colonization. The current study aimed to investigate and compared the serum level of B. pertussis antibody and the rate of nasopharyngeal colonization by this pathogen in subjects with and without MS. METHODS: In this case-control study, 109 patients with MS and 114 subjects without MS referred to Sina Hospital in Hamadan in 2019 are studied and compared in terms of serum titer of B. pertussis antibody and nasopharyngeal colonization by this bacterium. Colonization was evaluated using culture and real-time PCR techniques. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The serum titer of B. pertussis antibody in case and control groups was 37.8 and 35.1%, respectively (P = 0.74). Culture and real-time PCR techniques revealed no case of nasopharyngeal colonization by B. pertussis. CONCLUSION: There was no difference between B. pertussis antibody titer and the rate of nasopharyngeal colonization between both MS patients and the healthy control group. Therefore, it seems that probably B. pertussis has not a role in MS development.