Calogero Edoardo Cicero1, Francesca Elsa Allibrio1, Loretta Giuliano1, Jaime Luna2, Pierre-Marie Preux2, Alessandra Nicoletti1. 1. Section of Neurosciences, Department of Medical, Surgical, and Advanced Technologies G. F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. 2. IRD, U1094 Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, GEIST, INSERM, University of Limoges, Limoges University Hospital Center, Limoges, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: According to the hygiene hypothesis, infections by agents such as parasites have a protective role against the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Among parasites, Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite, showed evidence of a protective effect. This study was undertaken to summarize the available evidence on the association between T. gondii infection and MS. METHODS: A systematic review of all the available articles published up to November 2020 has been conducted independently by two investigators in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Lissa, and SciELO. The association between T. gondii infection and MS has been pooled with a random effects model. RESULTS: From 562 articles, seven were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis for a global population of 752 MS cases and 1282 controls. T. gondii infection was associated with MS with a pooled odds ratio of 0.68 (95% confidence interval = 0.50-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence supports the hypothesis that T. gondii infection represents a protective factor against the development of MS.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: According to the hygiene hypothesis, infections by agents such as parasites have a protective role against the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Among parasites, Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite, showed evidence of a protective effect. This study was undertaken to summarize the available evidence on the association between T. gondii infection and MS. METHODS: A systematic review of all the available articles published up to November 2020 has been conducted independently by two investigators in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Lissa, and SciELO. The association between T. gondii infection and MS has been pooled with a random effects model. RESULTS: From 562 articles, seven were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis for a global population of 752 MS cases and 1282 controls. T. gondii infection was associated with MS with a pooled odds ratio of 0.68 (95% confidence interval = 0.50-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence supports the hypothesis that T. gondii infection represents a protective factor against the development of MS.