Abstract
To characterize the antibody response to the Epstein- Barr virus (EBV) in MS, we studied serum anti-EBV nuclear antigen (anti- EBNA) and anti-EBV capsid antigen (anti-EBVCA) titers. Both titers were assayed in 93 age- and sex-matched pairs of MS patients and controls. Anti- EBVCA titers were measured by indirect immunofluorescence and anti- EBNA titers by anticomplement immunofluorescence. The seropositivity rate of both anti-EBVCA and anti-EBNA in MS patients was 100%, com pared with 84% in controls (p < 0.0001). Both anti-EBVCA and anti- EBNA titers were significantly higher in MS patients than in controls (p < 0.0001). The data suggest that EBV has a significant seroepidemiologic association with MS, but they do not define what role EBV antibodies play in the pathogenesis of the disease.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 435-438 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Neurology |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1985 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology