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From: low dose naltrexone

Date: Sunday, November 07, 2004 14:54:26

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Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Bacteria linked to MS

Bacteria linked to MS> VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY> http://www.tennessean.com/sii/99/04/24/ms24.shtml> Published by> The Tennessean> Saturday, 4/24/99> Brad Lamons> Brad Lamons, a former DARE officer for the Bedford County Sheriff's> Department, has apparently recovered from multiple sclerosis after> receiving antibiotic therapy. (Randy Piland / Staff)> By Bill Snyder / Tennessean Staff Writer>> Vanderbilt University researchers have found compelling evidence linking> multiple sclerosis to a bacterial infection.>> Genetic evidence of the bacteria, Chlamydia pneumoniae, was found in the> spinal fluid from 17 patients with recently diagnosed MS, Dr.> Subramaniam Sriram reported yesterday at an American Academy of> Neurology meeting in Toronto.>> This is not the same chlamydia that causes sexually transmitted disease.> That's Chlamydia trachomatis, a different species.>> Nor have the Vanderbilt researchers proved Chlamydia pneumoniae causes> MS, a mysterious and debilitating neurological disorder that afflicts> more than 250,000 Americans including an estimated 2,000 Middle> Tennesseans.>> But according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, which is> supporting the research, "this provocative study could shed new light on> the cause of MS, and may have important long-term implications for> potential MS therapies.">> Sriram's research began in July 1996, when a seriously ill deputy> sheriff from Bedford County was admitted to Vanderbilt University> Medical Center.>> Five months after he developed symptoms of MS -- vision problems and> tingling down his left side -- Brad Lamons was unable to move either leg> or his left arm, and he was having difficulty swallowing.>> "I was scared," said Lamons, 26, of Tullahoma. "I was going down so fast> that within a week or so I'm afraid I'd have been on a ventilator.">> When tests of his spinal fluid came back positive for chlamydia, Sriram> put him on an aggressive, 18-month-long course of powerful antibiotics.>> Several weeks later, with the help of a physical therapist, Lamons was> walking again.>> He has continued to improve, without a relapse, for nearly three years,> though he can no longer work as a deputy because he tires easily. Lamons> said he hopes to train for a job in computer-aided drafting.>> Inspired by Lamons' dramatic recovery, Sriram, a professor of neurology> who directs Vanderbilt's MS center, began looking for chlamydia in other> patients with MS.>> He and his colleagues, including Dr. M. , professor of> pathology, and Dr. W. Stratton, director of clinical> microbiology, were able to grow bacteria from the spinal fluid of eight> of 17 patients with a recently diagnosed form of MS.>> Using a sophisticated laboratory test, the scientists also found genetic> evidence of the organism in the spinal fluid of all of the patients.>> In comparison, the researchers were not able to grow chlamydia from the> spinal fluid of any of 13 "controls," people who did not have a> diagnosis of MS.>> Bacterial genes were found in two of the controls, but these patients> exhibited symptoms, including inflammation of the spinal cord,> suggesting they may have had a first attack of multiple sclerosis,> Sriram said.>> In an interview, Sriram cautioned against drawing too enthusiastic a> conclusion from the Vanderbilt study or from Lamons' anecdotal> experience.>> In most cases, the disease waxes and wanes. Patients may experience> temporary relief from symptoms, only to relapse within a few weeks or> months, he said.>> MS destroys myelin, an insulating material that helps transmit nerve> signals. Symptoms include blurred or double vision, muscle weakness, and> problems with balance, coordination and other neurological functions.>> The cause of MS is unknown, but many experts believe it results from an> abnormal immune response -- a misguided, "friendly fire" attack on the> body by its own defense system.>> Chlamydia may simply be an innocent bystander -- a secondary infection> of already damaged nerves.>> But MS behaves like a chronic infection, and scientists for years have> looked for a culprit. Sriram said the link between chlamydia and> multiple sclerosis is "extremely high -- much higher than any other> organism people have looked at in the past.">> The next step is to reproduce these findings in larger numbers of> patients. Ultimately, he said, a carefully conducted treatment study,> comparing patients who received antibiotics to those who did not, will> be necessary to settle the question.>> Chlamydia pneumoniae, which is spread through the air, is a common cause> of pneumonia. Increasing evidence suggests it also can infect blood> vessel walls and may be an important factor in the development of heart> disease.>> "It turns out chlamydia infection is one of the leading hot topics in> stroke, as well," added Dr. Walter Koroshetz, a neurologist at Harvard> Medical School who was familiar with Sriram's work.>> "If this is (also) at the bottom of MS, there are medications that can> probably kill this bug.">> "This thing, if it's true, just would be unbelievable," added Bill> Weaver, a former insurance executive who has multiple sclerosis, and> whose family endowed a chair in MS at Vanderbilt six years ago.>> The $1.25 million endowment allowed Vanderbilt to recruit Sriram from> the University of Vermont to direct its new MS center.>> "It has been our dream that Dr. Sriram would uncover some information> about (MS) that could help other people, as well as Bill," said Weaver's> mother, Craig Proctor, a former Belle Meade mayor. "When we> see all these people in wheelchairs, it simply breaks our hearts.">> http://www.tennessean.com/sii/99/04/24/ms24.shtml>>>>> Learn more from those who have beaten MS, read testimonials: > http:///messages/MS-testimonials>> To UNSUBSCRIBE, send blank message to: mscured-unsubscribe >> List Archives:> mscured/messages>> Web Sites> http://www.ms-diet.org/> http://ourworld.cs.com/cah819> http://www.ms-selfhelp.org> http://CureZone.com/diseases/ms/> http://www.naturalms.com> http://CureZone.com/dental/> http://www.btinternet.com/~mscentre.oxford> http://www.sensiblehealth.com/> http://WaterCure2.com> http://i.webring.com/hub?ring=multiplescleros1>> Success Stories:> http://www.curezone.com/Dangerously_Healthy/> http://www.wendys-ms-site.com/> http://home.san.rr.com/iamshouse/> http://www.megahits.com/healthy/page2.htm> http://www.direct-ms.org/roger.html> http://www.direct-ms.org/roger2.html>> Have a nice day !>