Study suggests infection with <i>H. pylori</i> bug may be somewhat protective
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Women who harbor the stomach bacteria Helicobacter pylori(or H. pylori) may be less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests.
In the study, researchers found that among women with MS -- an often disabling disease of the central nervous system -- 14 percent had evidence of past infection with H. pylori. But 22 percent of healthy women in the study had evidence of a previous H. pylori infection.
H. pylori bacteria settle in the gut, and while the bug usually causes no problems, it can eventually lead to ulcers or even stomach cancer. It's estimated that half of the world's population carries H. pylori, but the prevalence is much lower in wealthier countries than developing ones, according to background information in the study.
"Helicobacter is typically acquired in childhood and correlates directly with hygiene," explained Dr. Allan Kermode, the senior researcher on the new study and a professor of neurology at the University of Western Australia in Perth.
The reason for the connection between H. pylori and MS isn't clear, and researchers only found an association, not a cause-and-effect link.
But Kermode said his study supports the theory that certain infections early in life might curb the risk of MS later on -- which means the increasingly hygienic surroundings in developed countries could have a downside.
"It's plausible," agreed Bruce Bebo, executive vice-president of research for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in New York City. "The theory is, our modern immune system may be more susceptible to developing autoimmune disease."
Multiple sclerosis is thought to arise when the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective sheath around nerve fibers in the brain and spine, according to an editorial published with the study on Jan. 19 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
No one knows what triggers that abnormal immune response. But according to the "hygiene hypothesis," Bebo explained, early life encounters with bacteria and other bugs may help steer the immune system into disease-fighting mode -- and away from attacks on the body's healthy tissue.
source : Ulcer Bacteria Tied to Lower Multiple Sclerosis Risk in Women
