ABSENCE OF 7 HUMAN HERPESVIRUSES, INCLUDING HHV-6, BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION IN CSF AND BLOOD FROM PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS AND OPTIC NEURITIS

Several members of the herpesvirus family have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Recently, HHV-6 viral antigen has been demonstrated in association to MS plaques, as well as DNA fr om human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in cerebrospinal fluid from a few MS pa tients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the present study, CSF f rom patients with MS, optic neuritis and other neurological diseases, as well as consecutive CSF and serum samples from MS patients included in a clinical trial with acyclovir, were analysed by nested PCR for t he presence of DNA from herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr vir us, varicella tester virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpesvirus 6 and 7 . No virus DNA was found in any CSF (n=115) or serum (n=116) sample. T hese findings argue against a continuous disseminated herpesvirus infe ction in MS, but do not rule out a lesion-associated, low-grade herpes virus infection within the MS brain.