Sequence analysis of human rhinovirus aspirated from the nasopharynx of patients with relapsing-remitting MS.
BACKGROUND
Upper respiratory infections were reported to trigger multiple sclerosis relapses. A relationship between picornavirus infections and MS relapses was recently reported.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether human rhinovirus is associated with multiple sclerosis relapses and whether any particular strain is predominant.


METHODS
Nasopharyngeal fluid was aspirated from 36 multiple sclerosis patients at pre-defined critical time points. Reverse-transcriptase-PCR was performed to detect human rhinovirus-RNA. Positive amplicons were sequenced.


RESULTS
We found that rhinovirus RNA was present in 17/40 (43%) of specimens obtained at the onset of a URTI in 19 patients, in 1/21 specimens during convalescence after URTI in 14 patients, in 0/6 specimens obtained in 5 patients on average a week after the onset of an "at risk" relapse, occurring within a window in time from one week before to three weeks after an infection, and in 0/17 specimens obtained after the onset of a "not at risk" relapse not associated with any infection in 12 patients. Fifteen specimens from healthy control persons not associated with URTI were negative. The frequency of HRV presence in URTI was similar to that reported for community infections. Eight amplicons from patients represented 5 different HRV strains.


CONCLUSIONS
We were unable to reproduce previous findings of association between HRV infections and multiple sclerosis relapses. HRV was not present in nasopharyngeal aspirates obtained during "at risk" or "not at risk" relapses. Sequencing of HRV obtained from patients during URTI did not reveal any strain with predominance in multiple sclerosis.
Kneider
M
M
Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Bergström
T
T
Gustafsson
C
C
Nenonen
N
N
Ahlgren
C
C
Nilsson
S
S
Andersen
O
O
D001483:Base Sequence; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology*; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012008:Recurrence; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons
D012367:RNA, Viral