News
ICViewExpert PerspectivesMedical World NewsPathogen PlaybookVideosWebinars
Conference CoverageConference ListingAPIC Chapters
Infection Control TodaySupplements And Featured Publications
CME/CEEditorial Advisory BoardJob BoardPartnersSponsoredWhitepapers
Subscribe
Educator of the Year Official Rules2024 Educator of the Year Winner2023 Educator of the Year WinnerEducator of the Year
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
Spotlight -
  • IC Trends
  • Bug of the Month
  • Featured Articles
  • Featured Columns
  • Pathogen Playbook
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
    • News
    • Subscribe
Advertisement

Expert Explores the Link Between Infection and Alzheimer's

June 1, 2016
Article

A growing body of research on Alzheimer’s disease suggests an infectious trigger for the development of the disease. According to Brian Balin, PhD, professor of pathology and chair of bio-medical sciences at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, this could be the key to stopping the destructive process of Alzheimer’s before it even starts.

For the past several decades, Balin-who recently co-authored an editorial in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease which called for more focus and funding on this area of research-and his colleagues have operated under the hypothesis that infection is the root cause of Alzheimer’s disease-the first link in a chain of events that causes cells in the brain to malfunction and produce too much waste, which then causes the brain to defend itself by creating the tau and amyloid buildup that is synonymous with the disease.

“The ‘waste’ blocks the ability of the cell to create chemical messengers within the cells as well as the ability to communicate with other cells,” said Balin. “Once the cells begin to misbehave, they continue until they die. As these cells die, the ones they communicate with die. This process then continues along typical cognitive pathways leading to further functional and cognitive deficits.”

Existing research has shown that a change in the sense of smell is one of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s, along with early learning and memory deficits. Balin explains that the path from the nose to the brain-the olfactory pathway-is highly and directly connected to the brain’s learning and memory centers. To that end, he and his team hypothesize that breathing in harmful pathogens could trigger the malfunctioning of cells in the brain.

Balin and his team have studied the brain tissues of those who died of Alzheimer’s, and were able to identify the bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae in the cells of 85-90 percent of those brains. That bacteria (different from the sexually transmitted form), can enter through the nose via that olfactory pathway, and could trigger the process of cell damage.

“It is possible to catch an infection that would require the use of valuable brain energy to defend. When the brain defends against an infection, you get inflammation in the brain,” said Balin. “The inflammatory response, once triggered, can hang out, damaging the cells. So, if the infection was a gun, the inflammatory response would be the bullet. With repeated firing, your brain cells begin to malfunction and die.”

Balin likens this process to those who are predisposed toward depression. “One person could go through life without developing the disease, while another person could experience it. For the latter individual, they may have experienced an environmental episode, like losing a mother, which would trigger a biological response. So, the gun (that biological predisposition) wouldn’t be a problem until there was a bullet (the mother’s death). Then, that person would experience depression.”

Now that Balin and other researchers are honing in on infection as a suspected trigger to Alzheimer’s, he says the next step is to focus on avoiding and combatting infection, which could ultimately prevent the disease. “This prevention is just as important, if not more, as the majority of research currently focuses on slowing down the progression of cell damage after disease diagnosis,” said Balin. “The latter is just a Band-Aid approach. But the former could stop the process before it starts.”

Source: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine 

Recent Videos
Jordan Bastian, MPH, CIC, at APIC25
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Related Content

Washing hands at a sink  (Adobe Stock 1298928756)

A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings

Kerri Simone, MPH, CIC;Alexander O’Flaherty Linehan ;Will Zacamy
July 9th 2025
Article

Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.


Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH; Brandon M. Gantt, MHA, CRCST, CHL, CER, LSSGBH; and Jill E. Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL

Lumens 2.0 Study Results: Borescopes Reveal Hidden Challenges of Cleaning Lumened Surgical Instruments

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 8th 2025
Article

A groundbreaking study presented at HSPA25 and APIC25 exposed hidden contamination lurking inside orthopedic and neurosurgical instruments—even after cleaning. The Lumens 2.0 research highlights why infection prevention must look deeper than surface-level protocols.


Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) logo  (Logo credit to CBIC)

CBIC Seeks Input for Job Analysis Survey for the a-IPC Certification

Infection Control Today® Editorial Staff
July 8th 2025
Article

The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) is calling on infection prevention professionals to help shape the future of the a-IPC exam through a vital new job analysis survey.


The Clean Bite

Why You Should Always Ask About Sterilization at the Dentist

Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC
July 7th 2025
Article

Patients rarely question sterilization protocols at the dentist, yet it is essential for safety. The Clean Bite explores why asking matters, what to look for, and how to start the conversation confidently.


A Profession Without a Path, Part 2

Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers

Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA;Anna Arifin, MD, MBA, MT, CIC
July 4th 2025
Article

Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.


Stretcher and HAIs  (Image courtesy of author through AI)

How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels

Donald Sipp, MBA, RESE, CHESP, CHTI-2, CMIP, PMP
July 3rd 2025
Article

Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.

Related Content

Washing hands at a sink  (Adobe Stock 1298928756)

A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings

Kerri Simone, MPH, CIC;Alexander O’Flaherty Linehan ;Will Zacamy
July 9th 2025
Article

Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.


Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH; Brandon M. Gantt, MHA, CRCST, CHL, CER, LSSGBH; and Jill E. Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL

Lumens 2.0 Study Results: Borescopes Reveal Hidden Challenges of Cleaning Lumened Surgical Instruments

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 8th 2025
Article

A groundbreaking study presented at HSPA25 and APIC25 exposed hidden contamination lurking inside orthopedic and neurosurgical instruments—even after cleaning. The Lumens 2.0 research highlights why infection prevention must look deeper than surface-level protocols.


Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) logo  (Logo credit to CBIC)

CBIC Seeks Input for Job Analysis Survey for the a-IPC Certification

Infection Control Today® Editorial Staff
July 8th 2025
Article

The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) is calling on infection prevention professionals to help shape the future of the a-IPC exam through a vital new job analysis survey.


The Clean Bite

Why You Should Always Ask About Sterilization at the Dentist

Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC
July 7th 2025
Article

Patients rarely question sterilization protocols at the dentist, yet it is essential for safety. The Clean Bite explores why asking matters, what to look for, and how to start the conversation confidently.


A Profession Without a Path, Part 2

Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers

Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA;Anna Arifin, MD, MBA, MT, CIC
July 4th 2025
Article

Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.


Stretcher and HAIs  (Image courtesy of author through AI)

How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels

Donald Sipp, MBA, RESE, CHESP, CHTI-2, CMIP, PMP
July 3rd 2025
Article

Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.

Advertise
About Us
Editorial Board
Contact Us
Job Board
Terms and Conditions
Privacy
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Contact Info

2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-716-7777

© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.
Home
About Us
News