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Tetanus vaccination is associated with decreased incidence of Parkinson's disease and slower progression

Israel, A.; Magen, E.; Merzon, E.; Ruppin, E.; Vinker, S.; Giladi, N.

2024-05-10 epidemiology
10.1101/2024.05.03.24306800 medRxiv
Show abstract

Parkinsons disease (PD) is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration in the autonomic and central nervous systems, manifesting with hallmark symptoms of resting tremor, bradykinesia and rigidity. The etiology of PD remains elusive, and currently available treatments do not halt disease progression. In this study, conducted within a national health provider, we examined the impact of vaccination and medication purchase on PD occurrence and severity, using an innovative machine learning algorithm to track disease progression. Our findings reveal a significant reduction in PD occurrence following anti-tetanus vaccination, with a time-dependent association between the elapsed time since vaccination and both the rate and progression of PD. These results are supported by evidence that antimicrobial treatments significantly alter disease severity, suggesting the actual involvement of Clostridium Tetani in PD pathology. Thus, tetanus vaccination and C. tetani eradication could be promising strategies for preventing PD and slowing its progression, pending controlled clinical trials.

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