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. 2020 Oct 29;20(1):397.
doi: 10.1186/s12883-020-01977-w.

Prevalence of seropositivity of selected herpesviruses in patients with multiple sclerosis in the North of Jordan

Raid M Kofahi  1 , Hassan M Kofahi  2 , Suhib Sabaheen  2 , Majdi Al Qawasmeh  3 , Aiman Momani  3 , Ahmed Yassin  3 , Kefah Alhayk  3 , Khalid El-Salem  3
Affiliations

Prevalence of seropositivity of selected herpesviruses in patients with multiple sclerosis in the North of Jordan

Raid M Kofahi et al. BMC Neurol. .

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that is caused by an autoimmune response that results in the neuron's demyelination in the central nervous system. The exact etiology of MS is not clear; however, several environmental and genetic factors are believed to participate in its initiation and development, including exposure to viruses. This study aims to investigate the association between the seropositivity and antibody titer of selected herpesviruses and MS in Jordanian MS patients.

Method: In this study, 55 MS patients and 40 age- and gender-matching apparently healthy volunteers were recruited from two main hospitals in the north of Jordan. MS patients were grouped into three types of MS based on the clinical presentation of the disease. Blood samples were collected from the participants and the IgG antibodies for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen (EBNA), EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were assayed by ELISA. The prevalence of seropositivity and the antibody level for each of the antibodies were compared between MS patients and controls and between the three types of MS.

Results: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of seropositivity and in the levels of antibodies for HHV-6, EBNA and VCA between MS patients and controls and between the three types of MS. In contrast, the number of seropositive patients and the level of IgG antibodies for VZV were significantly higher in MS patients compared to the control.

Conclusion: This study showed that patients with MS in the north of Jordan were more likely to be seropositive for VZV than the general population. Based on this finding, we recommend further studies to evaluate the seropositivity to VZV to be carried out in other parts of Jordan and the greater middle east to find out if there is a correlation between MS and previous infection with VZV.

Keywords: Autoimmunity; Jordan; Middle East; Multiple sclerosis; Varicella.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
HHV-6 IgG levels: a shows a comparison in the levels of HHV-6 IgG between control and patients groups. b Shows a comparison in the HHV-6 IgG levels between the three types of MS (RRMS, SPMS and PPMS). The data is presented as the mean HHV6-IgG level ± SD
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
EBV antibody levels in MS patients: a VCA IgG antibody level in MS patients compared to control. b VCA IgG antibody levels in RRMS, SPMS and PPMS. c EBNA1 IgG antibody level in MS patients compared to control. d EBNA1 IgG antibody levels in RRMS, SPMS and PPMS. Data is presented as mean ± SD
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
VZV antibody levels in MS patients: a VZV IgG antibody level in MS patients compared to control. b VZV IgG antibody levels in RRMS, SPMS and PPMS. Data is presented as mean ± SD
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