Pathogenesis – Immunology Poster Presentation

P0964 - Herpesvirus serology in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (ID 919)

Speakers
  • R. Alvarez-Lafuente
Authors
  • M. Domínguez-Mozo
  • S. Pérez-Pérez
  • M. García-Martínez
  • Y. Aladro
  • B. Pilo
  • M. Martínez-Ginés
  • J. García-Domínguez
  • I. González-Suárez
  • P. Salgado-Cámara
  • C. López De Silanes
  • I. Casanova
  • J. Sotoca
  • R. Arroyo
Presentation Number
P0964
Presentation Topic
Pathogenesis – Immunology

Abstract

Background

Viruses have been involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) in last years. However, almost all of the studies published so far have focused on patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), with no data about viruses in patients with progressive primary MS (PPMS). Due to the differences that exist between these two forms of MS it would be interesting to know if there is also differences regarding viruses previously related to the etiopathogenesis of the disease.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and titters of different viral antibodies: IgG against EBNA-1 and VCA of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), IgG and IgM against Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), in PPMS patients and to compare those results with other cohort of RRMS patients.

Methods

A total of 166 MS patients were recruited: 71 with PPMS and 95 with RRMS (mean age: 48 and 43.6 years, respectively; gender: 47.9% and 61% female, respectively). We analyzed the presence and titters of the antibodies above mentioned with ELISA commercial kits, following manufacturer instructions.

Results

1. Herpesvirus prevalences: we only found a statistical significant difference for IgG antibodies against EBNA-1 of EBV (84.5% of PPMS patients were positive vs. 97.8% of RRMS patients; p=0.002). When we analyzed these prevalences by age groups (<45 and >45 years), we only found statistical significant differences between PPMS and RRMS patients under 45 years: 84.6% of PPMS patients were positive for IgG against EBNA-1 vs. 100% of RRMS patients (p=0.015), and 26.9% of PPMS patients were positive for IgM against HHV-6 vs. 7.7% of RRMS patients (p=0.021). 2. Herpesvirus titters: we found that IgG titters against CMV were higher among PPMS patients than in RRMS patients (31.3 AU vs. 16.01 AU, p=0.0001); IgG titters against HHV-6 were also higher in PPMS patients (29.3 AU vs. 20.5, p=0.004); IgG titters against EBNA-1 of EBV were lower in PPMS patients than in RRMS patients (16.4 AU vs. 22.8 AU, p<0.0001).

Conclusions

We have found statistical significant differences between different herpesvirus prevalences and titters between PPMS and RRMS patients that should be deeper studied to evaluate their possible contribution to the existing differences between these two forms of MS.

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