The antibodies against Bordetella pertussis in sera of patients with Parkinson's disease and other non-neurological diseases.

OBJECTIVES

It has been reported that the prevalance of parkinsonism might be associated with exposure to whooping cough.

METHODS

Examination of levels of antibodies against Bordetella pertussis in serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests [presence of IgG antibodies against filamentous hemagglutinin and pertussis toxin (PT)] were performed in 81 persons (including 45 patients with controls) (age-matched groups).

RESULTS

Positive results were found in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), patients with other non-inflammatory diseases, and controls (about 40-45% in each group). A detailed examination of separate responses (IgG and IgA antibodies against PT, and a whole cell immune response) and of the serum level of immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM was also performed.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate numerous cases of whooping cough serum antibodies among the adult population (also among PD patients). The results of our research, i.e. a common occurrence of Bordetella pertussis infection do not provide evidence of relationship between PD and the above-mentioned infection.