Sequence analysis of human rhinovirus aspirated from the nasopharynx of patients with relapsing-remitting MS

Background Upper respiratory infections were reported to trigger multiple sclerosis relapses. A relationship between picornavirus infections and MS relapses was recently reported. Objective To evaluate whether human rhinovirus is associated with multiple sclerosis relapses and whether any particular strain is predominant. Method Nasopharyngeal fluid was aspirated from 36 multiple sclerosis patients at pre-defined critical time points. Reverse-transcriptase-PCR was performed to detect human rhinovirus-RNA. Positive amplicons were sequenced. Results We found that rhinovirus RNA was present in 17/40 (43%) of specimens obtained at the onset of a URTI in 19 patients, in 1/21 specimens during convalescence after URTI in 14 patients, in 0/6 specimens obtained in 5 patients on average a week after the onset of an “at risk” relapse, occurring within a window in time from one week before to three weeks after an infection, and in 0/17 specimens obtained after the onset of a “not at risk” relapse not associated with any infection in 12 patients. Fifteen specimens from healthy control persons not associated with URTI were negative. The frequency of HRV presence in URTI was similar to that reported for community infections. Eight amplicons from patients represented 5 different HRV strains. Conclusion We were unable to reproduce previous findings of association between HRV infections and multiple sclerosis relapses. HRV was not present in nasopharyngeal aspirates obtained during “at risk” or “not at risk” relapses. Sequencing of HRV obtained from patients during URTI did not reveal any strain with predominance in multiple sclerosis.

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Multiple sclerosis attacks are associated with picornavirus infections

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1191/1352458504ms1005oa ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 145-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

John D Kriesel ◽

Andrea White ◽

Frederick G Hayden ◽

S L Spruance ◽

Jack Petajan

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

At Risk ◽

Demyelinating Disease ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Risk Period ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Polymerase Chain

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, which often follows a relapsing-remitting (RR) course with discrete attacks. MS attacks have been associated with upper respiratory infections (URIs), but the specific viruses responsible have not been identified. We studied a cohort of 16 RRMS patients experiencing URI and followed them for clinically identifiable attacks. The viral causes of 21 separate URIs were investigated using culture and polymerase chain reactio n (PCR) of nasal swab specimens, and by serology. Sibley’s ‘at-risk’ period for MS attacks, beginning two weeks before and continuing for five weeks after a URI, was used for the analysis. Seven of the nine (78%) URIs due to picornaviruses were associated with an MS attack during the at-risk period. By contrast, only two of 12 (17%) picornavirus-negative URIs were associated with an MS attack (P =0.01). The possible role of picornaviruses in the patho genesis of MS deserves further study.

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The Effect of IFN-β Treatment on Plasma Levels of BDNF and IL-6 in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients

NeuroImmunoModulation ◽

10.1159/000515595 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Mansour Shajarian ◽

Fereshteh Alsahebfosoul ◽

Masoud Etemadifar

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Plasma Levels ◽

Case Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Control Groups ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

Healthy Control ◽

Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽

Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Background: In recent investigations addressing neurodegenerative diseases, especially multiple sclerosis (MS), the roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been examined. Methods: Forty-five relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, including 32 IFN-β-treated and 13 newly identified untreated cases as well as 45 sex- and age-matched healthy controls, were recruited in the study. Plasma levels of BDNF and IL-6 were assessed using the ELISA method. Data were analyzed by SPSS (ver.21). Results: There were significant differences between the case and healthy control groups in terms of the plasma levels of BDNF (p value = 0.044) and IL-6 (p value <0.001). Besides, the treatment with IFN-β had no significant impact on the level of BDNF or IL-6 in RRMS patients as compared to healthy controls (p value = 0.716 and 0.623 for BDNF and IL-6, respectively). Furthermore, the increase in the plasma levels of BDNF and IL-6 indicated a direct correlation in the case group (r = 0.508, p value = 0.008). In detail, following the classification of the case group into 2 subgroups of IFN-β-treated and untreated patients, a direct positive correlation was observed between the plasma levels of BDNF and IL-6 in IFN-β-treated patients (r = 0.495, p value = 0.026). Conclusion: The IFN-β treatment seems not to be effective for upregulating BDNF and IL-6 in RRMS patients.

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Upper Respiratory Infections and MRI Activity in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Neuroepidemiology ◽

10.1159/000437371 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 83-89 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Maria Kneider ◽

Vera Lisovskaja ◽

Jan Lycke ◽

Clas Malmeström ◽

Johannes K. Jakobsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Temporal Relationship ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Upper Respiratory Infections ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

Lesion Number ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Systemic Infections ◽

Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis ◽

The Relationship

Background: Although clinical reports have suggested a relationship between systemic infections and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, MRI evidence supporting an association is conflicting. Here we evaluated the temporal relationship between upper respiratory infections (URIs) and MRI activity in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS. Methods: We combined individual data on URI with data on active lesions in pre-scheduled MRI examinations performed every 4 weeks for 28 weeks in 69 patients. A 4-week at-risk (AR) period started, by definition, 1 week before the onset of a URI. We recorded the relationship between the number of active lesions in each MRI with (1) the number of days of AR time in the immediately preceding 4-week period and (2) the number of days passed since the onset of a preceding URI. Results: Average MRI lesions/day showed no difference between AR (0.0764) and not-AR (0.0774) periods. The number of lesions in 483 pre-scheduled MRI examinations did not correlate with the AR proportion in the prior 4-week period (rho = -0.03), and time from URI onset did not correlate with lesion number on the next MRI examination (rho = 0.003). Conclusion: The occurrence of a URI did not increase the risk of MRI activity evaluated in an adjacent 4-week window in RRMS.

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