Source: Brain  |  Posted 9 years ago

Human herpes virus-6 is the only member of the []Herpesviridae[] to show prevalence in the DNA of patients with multiple sclerosis and treatment with []b[]-interferon has no effect on this prevalence.

This conclusion followed a study to determine the prevalence in the DNA of various members of the []Herpesviridae[] among patients with multiple sclerosis treated at the Hospital Clinico San Carlos in Madrid. Furthermore they questioned the likely effects of []b[]-interferon therapy on such prevalence.

Researchers studied the DNA of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in 204 whole blood samples, using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Samples were taken from 102 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), - 62 were given []b[]-interferon. The remaining 102 healthy blood donors were controls.

The investigators were only able to identify a statistically significant difference for human herpes virus type -6 (HHV-6) DNA prevalence (P<0.0001). However, they established that the frequency of HHV-6 in patients with multiple sclerosis was 2.26 higher than among healthy donors. No difference was seen in the prevalence of HHV-6 between patients regardless of whether they did, or did not receive []b[]-interferon therapy.

They concluded by questioning whether the human herpes virus -6 is involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Alternatively, researchers ask whether it merely indicates that multiple sclerosis influences latency or reactivation of HHV-6 without this particular virus being directly involved in the disease process of MS?