Herpes zoster and multiple sclerosis

Background: Clinical experience suggests that young multiple sclerosis pati ents may have herpes tester (HZ) earlier and more often than the general po pulation. As there is evidence of a relationship between varicella tester v irus (VZV) and MS, a study of HZ and MS was undertaken. Methods: Eight hund red and twenty-nine patient-members of the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Multiple Sclerosis Society were surveyed by mail. Six hundred and thirty-t hree (76%) responded. Questions included: age at diagnosis of MS, history o f HZ (yes, no, probably), number of episodes of HZ and age at each occurren ce, date of birth, and sex of respondent. The controls were consecutive pat ients with other neurological diseases (OND) attending local neurological o r neurosurgical clinics, plus practice-based and population-based surveys o f herpes tester without reference to any other disease. The OND controls we re assessed at the time of their outpatient visits. Results: In the MS grou p with a positive/probable history of HZ, the HZ/MS rate was 106/633 (16.8% ); in the practice-based survey the rate was 192/3534 (5.4%); and among the patients with OND it was 42/616 (6.8%). The HZ occurred at an earlier age in the MS group. The majority of male patients had HZ prior to the diagnosi s of MS. The date of diagnosis is more likely to be a precise memory as opp osed to the onset of symptoms. More than one attack of HZ was also more com mon in the MS group. Conclusions: This survey adds to the evidence that pat ients with MS have a unique relationship with the herpes tester virus.