A case-control study of multiple sclerosis

We conducted a study of 145 persons with multiple sclerosis who had been identified in a 1970 survey and 145 friend controls, to investigate whether the development of MS was associated with exposure to uncommon viruses or an older age at infection with 1 or more common viruses. The most striking fi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inNeurology Vol. 39; no. 6; p. 825
Main Authors Operskalski, E A, Visscher, B R, Malmgren, R M, Detels, R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.06.1989
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Animals
Animals, Domestic
Birth Order
Family Characteristics
Female
Housing
Humans
Infection - complications
Menarche
Middle Aged
Multiple Sclerosis - complications
Socioeconomic Factors
Travel
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:We conducted a study of 145 persons with multiple sclerosis who had been identified in a 1970 survey and 145 friend controls, to investigate whether the development of MS was associated with exposure to uncommon viruses or an older age at infection with 1 or more common viruses. The most striking finding was a strong positive association for history of infectious mononucleosis (IM), suggesting older age at exposure to Epstein-Barr virus, the most common etiologic agent of IM. We also found significant positive associations for number of different domiciles before adulthood and for visits outside the United States; both would be compatible with an increased likelihood among cases of exposures to uncommon viruses or to multiple strains of a common agent. Cases were younger at menarche, increasing the probability of viral exposure after puberty.
ISSN:0028-3878
DOI:10.1212/wnl.39.6.825