[Virological and immunological indices in patients with multiple sclerosis]

The level of specific antibodies to viruses of measles, parotitis, type-6 herpes, Epstein-Barr, tick-borne encephalitis and Borrelia burgdorferi as well as presence of genetic samples and antigens of the above infectious antigens were studied in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The cytokines Th1 and Th2 parameters were investigated in blood serum of patients at different MS stages. The titer of antibodies to measles virus was noted to be increasing in MS patients with age and disease aggravation. The level of antibodies to any of the studied infectious agents, except for the type-6 herpes virus, was not dynamically changing for as long as 9 months. The viral genetic samples (measles RNA) were detected just once in 2 patients; the detection time coincided in both cases with MS aggravation. The cytokines dynamics failed to correlate with MS aggravation or exacerbation while the total index of all studied cytokines was decreased. A high MMPw 9 content in blood serum correlated with MS exacerbation in 1 patient.