Searching for Bacteria in Neural Tissue From Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

ABSTRACT: Despite great efforts in the investigation, the exact etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a matter of intensive research. We recently advanced the idea that ALS might be caused by fungal infection. Indeed, fungal yeast and hyphal structures can be directly visualized in neural tissue of ALS patients, and a number of fungal species have been identified in the central nervous system (CNS). In the present work, we tested the possibility that bacterial infections can accompany these mycoses. Our findings establish the presence of bacterial DNA in different regions of the CNS from all ALS patients examined. Specifically, we used PCR and next generation sequencing (NGS) to precisely determine the bacterial species present in ALS tissue. Consistent with these findings, immunohistoc

SUBMITTER: Alonso R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6399391 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature