TY  - JOUR
AU  - Taghipour, A
AU  - Rostami, A
AU  - Esfandyari, S
AU  - Aghapour, S
AU  - Nicoletti, A
AU  - Gasser, RB
Y2  - 2020/12/09
Y1  - 2020/11/01
SN  - 2076-0817
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/11343/252989
AB  - Although the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unclear, infectious agents, including some parasitic roundworms (nematodes), have been proposed as possible risk factors or contributors. Here, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published observational studies to evaluate whether there is a possible association between infection with, or exposure to, one or more members of the genus Toxocara (phylum Nematoda; superfamily Ascaridoidea) and MS. We undertook a search of public literature databases to identify relevant studies and then used a random-effects meta-analysis model to generate the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). This search identified six of a total of 1371 articles that were relevant to the topic; these published studies involved totals of 473 MS patients and 647 control subjects. Anti-Toxocara IgG serum antibodies were detected in 62 MS patients and 37 controls, resulting in respective seroprevalences of 13.1% (95% CI: 8.2-20.3) and 4.8% (95% CI: 2.5-9.2), indicating an association (pooled OR, 3.01; 95% CI: 1.46-6.21). Because of the publication bias identified (six eligible studies), well-designed and -controlled studies are required in the future to rigorously test the hypothesis that Toxocara infection/exposure has an association with MS.
LA  - English
PB  - MDPI
T1  - "Begging the Question"-Does Toxocara Infection/Exposure Associate with Multiple Sclerosis-Risk?
DO  - 10.3390/pathogens9110938
IS  - Pathogens
VL  - 9
IS  - 11
SP  - 1-12
L1  - /bitstream/handle/11343/252989/PMC7696196.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
ER  -