Intrathecal polyspecific immune response to neurotropic viruses in multiple sclerosis: a comparative report from Cuban patients.
OBJECTIVE
Intrathecal measles(M)- rubella(R)- and varicella zoster(Z)-antibody synthesis in German and Cuban multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are compared considering the different rubella epidemiology in the tropics.


METHODS
Twenty-three Cuban MS patients with a representative age distribution and gender ratio like the group of 177 German MS patients were analysed for albumin, IgG, IgA IgM, oligoclonal IgG and MRZ- antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum.


RESULTS
Cuban MS patients show similar CSF data patterns like German patients and high frequencies of intrathecal measles- (78/78%) and varicella zoster- (59/55%) antibody synthesis correspondingly. A lower frequency of intrathecal rubella antibody synthesis (rubella-AI >or= 1.5) in Cuban patients (30%, gender ratio of increased rubella - AI m:f = 1:6) compared with German patients (60%, m:f = 1:1.8) is explained by low incidence of rubella infections in Cuba. Only about 10% of the male population (not immunized before 1986, in contrast to females) had rubella antibodies compared to at least 60% in a European male population, representing the relation of increased rubella-AI in male MS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In MS the frequency of intrathecal antibody synthesis is limited by the fraction of seropositives in the population. Natural infection or vaccination are a necessary and equivalent precondition contributing to the arguments against microorganisms as a cause of MS.
Robinson-Agramonte
M
M
Neuroimmunology Department, International Center for Neurological Restoration, Havana City, Cuba.
Reiber
H
H
Cabrera-Gomez
J A
JA
Galvizu
R
R
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D003462:Cuba / Q000208:ethnology; D020804:Encephalitis, Varicella Zoster / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000276:immunology*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M