title: Evidence for human herpesvirus 6 variant A antibodies in multiple sclerosis: diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
abstract: Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) has been linked to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). HHV-6 antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 27 patients with clinically definite MS (CDMS) were compared with age- and sex-matched controls, including various other neurological diseases and symptoms (OND). In addition, we studied a series of 19 patients with clinically or laboratory supported possible MS (CPMS). Seroprevalence to HHV-6A was 100% in patients with MS, both in CDMS and CPMS, compared to 69.2% in patients with OND (P = .001 and .007). The mean immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were significantly higher in patients with CDMS and CPMS than in controls (P = .005 and .00002). The proportion of acute primary infections without CSF involvement was similar in all groups; however, primary infections with intrathecal HHV-6 antibody production were more frequent in MS. In CSF, HHV-6A-specific antibodies were present in three (11.5%) and four (21.1%) patients with CDMS and CPMS, compared to none with OND (P = .06 and .01, respectively). Serological suggestions to HHV-6A infection occurred more often in both CDMS and CPMS than in OND (14.8% versus 21.1% versus 3.8%). We conclude that a subpopulation of MS patients, and even a greater proportion of possible MS subjects, has serological evidence of HHV-6A infection, which might provide new markers for diagnosis and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Färkkilä
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Multanen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uotila
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Jääskeläinen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaheri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koskiniemi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G