"Begging the Question"-Does Toxocara Infection/Exposure Associate with Multiple Sclerosis-Risk?

ABSTRACT: 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

SUBMITTER: Taghipour A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7696196 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature