A case-control study of multiple sclerosis.
We conducted a study of 145 persons with multiple sclerosis who had been identified in a 1970 survey and 145 friend controls, to investigate whether the development of MS was associated with exposure to uncommon viruses or an older age at infection with 1 or more common viruses. The most striking finding was a strong positive association for history of infectious mononucleosis (IM), suggesting older age at exposure to Epstein-Barr virus, the most common etiologic agent of IM. We also found significant positive associations for number of different domiciles before adulthood and for visits outside the United States; both would be compatible with an increased likelihood among cases of exposures to uncommon viruses or to multiple strains of a common agent. Cases were younger at menarche, increasing the probability of viral exposure after puberty.
Operskalski
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Department of Medicine, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90032.
Visscher
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Malmgren
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Detels
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001722:Birth Order; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D008572:Menarche; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014195:Travel