Gut Bacteria Toxin Linked to Multiple Sclerosis.
A bacterial toxin called epsilon produced by Clostridium perfringens bacteria in the gut may be a key environmental driver of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study. The toxin was found at a higher abundance in the fecal samples of MS patients compared with healthy people and was capable of producing MS symptoms in mice predisposed to the disease. A clinical trial will be required to examine the role of the toxin in MS patients.