Antibody response in seropositive multiple sclerosis patients vaccinated with attenuated live varicella zoster virus

To determine the safety and effectiveness of live attenuated varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccine (OKA/Merck) on 50 patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), based on the hypothesis that VZV might be the antigen or antigen mimic of MS plus the fact that repeated high antigen doses have produced 'antigen paralysis' in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis mice.

Fifty patients were randomly selected without controls. They were assessed clinically at entry and on four other occasions over 14 months. Enhanced cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at entry and at six and 12 months post entry. All were vaccinated after initial assessment and again six weeks later.

All clinical and laboratory assessments were performed at the Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, in the out-patient department. All MRI examinations were performed at the St Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Both are tertiary care hospitals.

Fifty randomly selected patients with chronic progressive MS, age 18 to 60 years, and a disability status scale of 2.0 or greater were included. Forty-five patients completed the study.

Two vaccinations with attenuated live VZV six weeks apart.

All patients were VZV seropositive at entry and all showed an increased antibody level following vaccination. No one was harmed by the vaccine. There may have been some changes in the MS of 15 patients.

It may be reasonable and safe to challenge the process of MS using large doses of the immunogenic proteins of the VZV to induce 'immune paralysis'.