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Human herpesvirus-6 immunoglobulin G antibodies in patients with multiple sclerosis
L Nielsen1, A M Larsen, M Munk
1Department of Virology, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Objective:
To further investigate a possible correlation between human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection and multiple sclerosis by analyzing the level of HHV-6 antibodies in MS patients and healthy controls.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 189 serum samples from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in different disease stages and 190 serum samples from healthy controls matched for age and sex were analyzed for HHV-6 antibodies using a competitive ELISA.
Results:
There was no difference between HHV-6 IgG titers in MS patients and controls. Two of the controls were seronegative for HHV-6 versus to none of the MS-patients. There was no apparent difference in HHV-6 titers from patients in different disease stages.
Conclusion:
This study cannot support the theory that HHV-6 is a contributing factor to the development of MS, although a seroprevalence study like this would not disclose whether a late primary infection (in puberty) with HHV-6 might affect the development of MS.