title: JC virus seroprevalence and seroconversion in multiple sclerosis cohort: A Middle-Eastern study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate JCV seroprevalence and risk of seroconversion against JCV among MS patients in the Middle East.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicenter study was conducted by implementing a cross-sectional design to assess JCV seroprevalence, and a longitudinal design to assess the risk of JCV seroconversion. Multivariable logistic and Poisson regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between clinical variables and JCV seropositivity and risk of seroconversion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 581 MS patients, 64.9% patients were females. Mean age and mean disease duration were 33.9 and 8.4years respectively. JCV seroprevalence was 48.7%. Male gender (p=0.002), age at onset (p=0.001) and disease duration of 20 or more years (p=0.007) were significantly associated with JCV seropositivity. Among patients (n=125), followed longitudinally, the risk of JCV seroconversion was 17.6% (95% CI: 11.4%-25.4%) during a median follow-up of 18months. The proportion of seroreverted and pseudoconverted patients was 4% and 3.2% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  JCV seroprevalence among MS patients in the Middle East was lower than international figures. Male gender, age at onset and disease duration were significantly associated with JCV seropositivity. Risk of JCV seroconversion was higher than previously reported figures. Observed JCV sero-reversion or pseudo-conversion entail watchful period before embarking on a clinical decision.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Neurology clinic, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Dasman, Kuwait. Electronic address: alroughani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Raed
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alroughani
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine & Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ibn Sina Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Samar F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Nehme and Therese Tohme MS Center, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Samia J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ibn Sina Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Jasem Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Al-Hashel
authors.affiliation: MS Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sahraian
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Ben Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, NGHA, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Jumah
authors.affiliation: Nehme and Therese Tohme MS Center, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeineddine
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, American University of Beirut Medical Center.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, American University of Beirut Medical Center.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doumiati
authors.affiliation: Nehme and Therese Tohme MS Center, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Bassem I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Yamout
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007577:JC Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000821:virology*; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D000069078:Seroconversion; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiology; JC virus; Middle-East; Multiple sclerosis; Prevalence; Seroconversion