Multiple sclerosis and human herpesvirus 6.
BACKGROUND
A possible but as yet unproven relationship has been proposed between the onset or persistence of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms and herpesviruses, including, most recently, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6). A study was conducted to investigate the presence of HHV-6 DNA and the synthesis of antibodies against HHV-6, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with MS.


METHODS
PCR and ELISA were used to detect HHV-6 DNA and specific antibodies against HHV-6, CMV and EBV in 211 samples (139 sera and 72 CSF). There were three groups of samples: group I, paired samples of serum and CSF from 41 MS patients; group II, paired samples of serum and CSF from 31 patients with neurological diseases other than MS (OND); group III, 67 serum samples from 27 different MS patients undergoing serologic follow-up.


RESULTS
No HHV-6 DNA was found in any sample. Group I sera showed elevated anti-HHV-6 IgG and IgA levels. In group II, anti-CMV IgG was detected in one CSF sample and anti-HHV-6 IgM in one serum sample. Group III sera showed high concentrations of anti-HHV-6 IgG, IgA and IgM.


CONCLUSIONS
Given the clinical implications of the presence of antibodies against HHV-6 in MS patients, a viral reactivation cannot be excluded as an environmental factor.
Gutiérrez
J
J
Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital San Cecilio, Granada, Spain. josegf@ugr.es
Vergara
M J
MJ
Guerrero
M
M
Fernández
O
O
Piédrola
G
G
Morales
P
P
Maroto
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral