title: Herpes simplex infection and the risk of Alzheimer's disease: A nested case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is thought to play an etiological role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples from 360 AD cases (75.3% women, mean age 61.2 years) and 360 age- and sex-matched dementia-free controls, taken on average 9.6 years before AD diagnosis, were analyzed for anti-HSV antibodies (immunoglobulin G, IgG, and immunoglobulin M, IgM) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the complete sample group, the presence of anti-HSV IgG and IgM antibodies did not increase the risk of AD significantly (odds ratio (OR) 1.636, P = .069 and OR 1.368, P = .299, respectively). In cases with 6.6 years or more between plasma sampling and AD diagnosis (n = 270), there was a significant association between presence of anti-HSV IgG antibodies and AD (OR 2.250, P = .019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among persons with a follow-up time of 6.6 years or more, HSV infection was significantly associated with AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. Electronic address: hugo.lovheim@germed.umu.se.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lövheim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gilthorpe
authors.affiliation: Department of Odontology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Nutritional Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Nutritional Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sture
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Nutritional Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hallmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Elgh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; HSV; Herpes; Herpes simplex; Nested case-control study