Key result
Reverse transcription PCR testing for enteroviruses and cardioviruses was negative in all autopsy brain tissue specimens from 25 MS patients and 33 controls, showing no evidence of viral genomes.
Why the study?
Is entero- or cardioviral RNA present in the brain tissue of patients with multiple sclerosis compared to controls?
Case-Control (n=58)
Is entero- or cardioviral RNA present in the brain tissue of patients with multiple sclerosis compared to controls?
The study finds no evidence to support the theory that persisting entero- or cardioviral infection is the cause of multiple sclerosis.
No viral genomes detected in MS brain tissue; challenges persistent entero-/cardioviral etiology hypothesis while leaving alternatives open for study.
OBJECTIVES: Epidemiological evidence suggests that an infectious agent may be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Picornaviruses are possible candidates for an etiological agent, because of their neurotropic properties and ability to cause chronic infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Autopsy brain tissue from 25 patients with clinically definite MS and 33 control patients without inflammatory neurological disease was tested with reverse transcription PCR specific for enteroviruses and cardioviruses. RESULTS: All specimens were found negative. CONCLUSION: These results do not support the theory of a persisting entero- or cardioviral infection as the cause of Ms as we found no evidence of the presence of entero- or cardioviral genomes in the brains from MS patients.
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Dessau et al. (1997) conducted a case-control in Multiple sclerosis (n=58). Entero- and cardioviral infection vs. Controls without inflammatory neurological disease was evaluated on Presence of entero- and cardioviral RNA by reverse transcription PCR. Reverse transcription PCR testing for enteroviruses and cardioviruses was negative in all autopsy brain tissue specimens from 25 MS patients and 33 controls, showing no evidence of viral genomes.
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