Causal relationship between Cpn bacteria and some variants of MS

Hi, MSers and Limbolanders,

I just discovered that some variants of MS may involve a bacteria called Cpn bacteria (Chlamydia Pneumoniae) which can be treated.  Dr. David Weldon has a website about that if you are interested.  Vanderbilt University (Stratton et al) has worked with Dr. Weldon to develop multiple antibiotic protocol to treat the Cpn bacteria in its various life phases.  Hope that might help some of you.

I'm on antibiotics now, hoping for the best for slowing and control of my Lyme (not easy to eradicate).  

On the positive side, I have a wonderful neurologist - can't say enough good about him.  He restores my faith in M.D.s (as does Quix).  He truly cares about his patients' health and well-being.  He is a joy and a lifesaver!

WAF

[COBOB]

This is another one of those treatments that needs more research, but I fail to see a causal link.  There seems to be an association like EBV, but not a causal link.  Most of the peer research references that Dr. David Wheldon sites on his website  [http://www.davidwheldon.co.uk/ms-treatment.html] are more than 5 years old and there appears to be very little additional research (other than his own updates) since 2005. This may be one of the "investigative dead ends" that has fallen to better disease models since that time.

If you look at the http://cpnhelp.org website, it says:
"Chlamydia Pneumoniae (Cpn) has been IMPLICATED (my emphasis) in such a wide variety of diseases that information about it's treatment and science is scattered about the web and tends to be focused on just one of these illnesses. We hope to be a central source of information, which will allow us to share findings and compare treatment responses across the variety of problems Cpn causes. Work at Vanderbilt University by Stratton et al, extended by British physician David Wheldon has formulated Combination Antibiotic Protocols (CAP's) to treat the multiple life phases of Cpn and fully eradicate this persistent infection."

I looked at the Vanderbilt Study, and the doctors conducting the study stated that the antibiotic therapy FAILED TO MEET THE STUDY OBJECTIVES.
"The primary outcome measure of showing a beneficial effect on enhancing lesions was not met. However, there was a significant difference in brain parenchymal fraction loss favoring those patient receiving antibiotics compared with PBO ( p
0.02). Three of the four patients on antibiotic therapy cleared the organism from the CSF by month 12; in the PBO group one patient cleared the organism. The reduction in atrophy in patients receiving antibiotics must be viewed with caution, due to the small number of patients studied."  [http://www.cpnhelp.org/pdfs/ABXinMS.pdf]

C.pneumoniae has been associated with atypical pneumonia.  It also causes meningoencephalitis and GBS which can both cause demylenation, but are not MS. C.pneumoniae is a small bacteria and acts somewhat like virus by replicating inside the cells of the body.   Many people in the adult population have had multiple infections with C.pneumoniae, but never develop MS.   I got this info from an infectious disease doc.

Based on that statement, there is not a "causal link" to MS.  Just like Epstien-Barr Virus there seem to be an association, but that is about it.   Too many people without MS, Fibro, etc. have been infected with C.pneumoniae  The CDC doesn't list C.pneumoniae as a cause for MS, but it does suggest that C.pneumoniae damages the vasculature. [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/press_r/campbell.htm  1998]  A this point, I do not know of any research in the last 13 years that has been published suggesting that the vascular damage described by Cambell causes or exacerbates the breakdown in the Blood Brain Barrier associated with MS.

Bob