Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8515110 | Medical Hypotheses | 2018 | 22 Pages |
Abstract
There are several suspected infectious causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or motor neurone disease including HIV-1 and species of Brucella, Cyanobacteria and Schistosoma. The increased rates and clusters of ALS in amateur and professional outdoor sports players including rugby, football and soccer players suggest a microorganism present in the grass, dirt and dust they play on and in may be a causative factor. The probable zoonosis Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is heavily excreted in an infected domestic ruminant's feces or manure and is extensively distributed throughout the soil in countries where MAP infection of domestic livestock is longstanding. Like other zoonotic pathogens, MAP can be transmitted to humans by inhalation of aerosolized pathogen-contaminated soil, by direct contact of pathogen-contaminated grass, dirt and dust with mucus membranes lining the nose or mouth or through abrasions and cuts in the skin. Outdoor sports players may develop ALS after multiple oral, nasal or subcutaneous doses of MAP present in the dirt, dust and grass of their playing fields.
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Developmental Biology
Authors
Ellen S. Pierce,