Epstein-Barr virus infection after adolescence and Human herpesvirus 6A as risk factors for multiple sclerosisDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
Infections and Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum), Heidelberg, Germany.
Infections and Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum), Heidelberg, Germany.
Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital in Malmö/Lund, Institution of Clinical Sciences, Neurology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Örebro University, School of Medical Sciences.
Department of Neurology and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Infections and Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum), Heidelberg, Germany.
Infections and Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum), Heidelberg, Germany.
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Science, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
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2021 (English)In: European Journal of Neurology, ISSN 1351-5101, E-ISSN 1468-1331, Vol. 28, no 2, p. 579-586Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Background and purpose: Infections with human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) development. For EBV, late infection has been proposed as a risk factor, but serological support is lacking. The objective of this study was to investigate how age affects the EBV and HHV-6A associated risks of developing MS.
Methods: In this nested case–control study, Swedish biobanks were accessed to find pre-symptomatically collected blood samples from 670 individuals who later developed relapsing MS and 670 matched controls. A bead-based multiplex assay was used to determine serological response against EBV and HHV-6A. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.
Results: Seropositivity against EBV exhibited a pattern where associations switched from a decreased risk of developing MS in the group below 20 years of age to an increased risk amongst individuals aged 20–29 and 30–39 years (p for trend 0.020). The age of transition was estimated to be 18.8 years. In contrast, HHV-6A was associated with increased MS risk in all age groups (total cohort odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.6–2.7).
Conclusions: This study suggests EBV infection after adolescence and age independent HHV-6A infection as risk factors for MS.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Blackwell Publishing, 2021. Vol. 28, no 2, p. 579-586
Keywords [en]
Epstein-Barr virus, Human herpesvirus 6A, case-control studies, multiple sclerosis, serology
National Category
Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-86808DOI: 10.1111/ene.14597ISI: 000591137900001PubMedID: 33065762Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85096633448OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-86808DiVA, id: diva2:1479418
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2015-02419The Swedish Brain Foundation
Note
Funding Agencies:
KAW Foundation
Margaretha af Ugglas Foundation
Horizon 2020 MultipleMS 733161
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada EGID 3045
2020-10-272020-10-272023-12-08Bibliographically approved