Common infections can worsen multiple sclerosis, researchers find

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By Jacob Freedland, PA Media

Common infections like colds and flu can cause multiple sclerosis to worsen, new research has found.

The study, led by scientists from the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton, suggested that inflammation, which can be caused by infections like colds, influenza and urinary tract infections, is linked with the loss of nerve cells in the spinal cord, causing MS to progress.