Absence of seven human herpesviruses, including HHV-6, by polymerase chain reaction in CSF and blood from patients with multiple sclerosis and optic neuritis
Corresponding Author
C. Martin
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Dr Claes Martin, Department of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86 Huddinge, SwedenSearch for more papers by this authorM. Enbom
Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorM. Söderström
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Ophthalmology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorS. Fredrikson
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorH. Dahl
Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorT. Bergström
Clinical Virology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorA. Linde
Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
C. Martin
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Dr Claes Martin, Department of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86 Huddinge, SwedenSearch for more papers by this authorM. Enbom
Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorM. Söderström
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Ophthalmology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorS. Fredrikson
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorH. Dahl
Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorT. Bergström
Clinical Virology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorA. Linde
Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden
Departments of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Several members of the herpesvirus family have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Recently, HHV-6 viral antigen has been demonstrated in association to MS plaques, as well as DNA from human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in cerebrospinal fluid from a few MS patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the present study, CSF from patients with MS, optic neuritis and other neurological diseases, as well as consecutive CSF and serum samples from MS patients included in a clinical trial with acyclovir, were analysed by nested PCR for the presence of DNA from herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpesvirus 6 and 7. No virus DNA was found in any CSF (n= 115) or serum (n= 116) sample. These findings argue against a continuous disseminated herpesvirus infection in MS, but do not rule out a lesion-associated, low-grade herpesvirus infection within the MS brain.
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