HOW many cases of in children are caused by bacteria? The US National Institute of Mental Health intends to find out, and to test whether antibodies will cure it.
Streptococcus bacteria, which cause “strep throat”, evade the immune system by making surface proteins that seem human. The immune system eventually catches on and makes antibodies to the proteins – but these can then . In children, this attack on the brain may precipitate a syndrome including obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals.
The NIMH has now to find such cases and improve diagnosis and treatment, including a study to see if IVIG, a human antibody treatment used to dampen autoimmune reactions, reverses the syndrome.
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