I found this abstract while surfing the web for information about chlamydia.  Very interesting and encouraging.  It would appear that intervening with abxⁱ as early as possible in demyelinating diseasesⁱ bodes for the best out come.  That doesn't mean that we still can't treat it 30 years later (as in my case) but that the organizim as more widely disseminated and entrenched and will require a longer and maybe more aggressive treatment course.  Although, in the case of this young woman, because of the polymorphic nature of chlamydia it would seem prudent to treat with abxⁱ for a period of time beyond remission of symptoms.

Abstract:

Inflammatory demyelinating diseases are a common cause of neurologic disability in young adults, and usually the cause is unknown. We describe a case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. An 18-year-old previously healthy women, with a one-week history of coryzal illness (upper respiratory illness), was admitted because of progressive headache, dizziness, and a left-sided hemiparesis. MR imaging of the brain and brainstem showed typical signs of ADEM. The diagnosis was established by PCRⁱ Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA positivity in a tracheal swab and by increasing titres of Chlamydia IgMⁱ antibody. The patient was treated with doxycycline and steroids and recovered completely. Apart from therapeutic implications, this case may contribute to our understanding of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.

Keywords: acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; ADEM; Chlamydia pneumoniae; demyelination