There is now considerable evidence that several infectious agents (viruses, bacteria, or parasites) may play a contributing role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The six primary suspects are herpes viruses, spirochetal bacteria, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Porphyromonas gingivalis, mycobacteria, and toxoplasma parasites. Also, some of the antimicrobial and antiviral agents that are used to treat them have shown promise for AD interventions. I describe this evidence and assert it is now time to accelerate clinical trials of these existing drugs, already federally approved, to determine if such treatments can delay, halt, or reverse AD.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Chlamydia pneumoniae; Porphyromonas gingivalis; beta-amyloid; clinical trials; dementia; drug development; germ theory; herpes; mycobacteria; spirochetes; toxoplasma.