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Is multiple sclerosis a sexually transmitted infection?
1Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1, UK. chrishawkes@msn.com
Abstract:
It is proposed that multiple sclerosis may be transmitted chiefly by sexual contact. Arguments favouring this include: migration studies that suggest a transmissible agent in adolescence; clusters of multiple sclerosis which have occurred in low prevalence areas following entry of young males; the similarity of multiple sclerosis to tropical spastic paraplegia, a known sexually transmitted infection with resemblance to primary progressive multiple sclerosis; an increased rate in drug misusers; a similar age of onset and sex pattern to that found in sexually transmitted disease; increased incidence of multiple sclerosis in those using oral contraceptives; low multiple sclerosis rates in societies with a strict moral code; longitudinal shifts in sex prevalence that show an increase in women after the sexual revolution of the 1960s; and important exceptions to the worldwide distribution corresponding to countries with permissive attitudes to sex. Family, conjugal pair, twin, and adoption studies are compatible with an infectious cause of multiple sclerosis if this is sexually transmitted. It is not proposed that sexual transmission is the only cause but that inherited factors create a susceptibility to a sexually transmitted neurotropic agent. It is hoped this hypothesis might encourage a new direction of neurological research.
Insights
This study proposes multiple sclerosis (MS) may be sexually transmitted, supported by epidemiological patterns and disease similarities. Inherited susceptibility to a neurotropic agent transmitted sexually is hypothesized.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disorder with an unknown etiology.
- Existing research has explored genetic and environmental factors, but a definitive cause remains elusive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and provide evidence for a hypothesis that multiple sclerosis may be primarily transmitted through sexual contact.
- To explore the potential role of a sexually transmitted neurotropic agent in MS pathogenesis, in conjunction with inherited susceptibility.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of existing epidemiological data, including migration studies, disease clustering, and prevalence patterns.
- Comparison of MS characteristics with known sexually transmitted infections, such as tropical spastic paraplegia.
- Analysis of demographic trends, including age of onset, sex prevalence shifts, and societal factors related to sexual behavior.
Main Results:
- Migration studies suggest a transmissible agent acquired in adolescence.
- Disease clusters in low-prevalence areas correlate with the influx of young males.
- Similarities to tropical spastic paraplegia and patterns in drug misusers, oral contraceptive users, and societies with varying sexual mores support the hypothesis.
- Longitudinal shifts in sex prevalence align with societal changes in sexual behavior.
Conclusions:
- The hypothesis of sexual transmission as a primary route for multiple sclerosis is supported by multiple lines of epidemiological evidence.
- Inherited factors likely confer susceptibility to a sexually transmitted neurotropic agent.
- This hypothesis warrants further investigation to redirect neurological research efforts.