HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Adams, J. M. Articles by Tyler, C. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Adams, J. M. Articles by Tyler, C. S.

Measles antibodies in patients with multiple sclerosis and with other neurological and nonneurological diseases

From the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, and the Division of Neurology, Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, Downey, California

SUMMARYA study of the sera of over 300 patients for the presence of measles antibodies, as detected by the hemagglutination-inhibition test, is presented. One-hundred thirty-three patients were diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis (MS) and 172 control subjects were neurological patients without evidence of MS and patients with nonneurological illnesses. The average measles antibody titers in the MS patient was twice as high as in control patients. The results suggest that the measles virus may persist in some form in some patients with multiple sclerosis. Final proof of a possible causal relationship between measles and multiple sclerosis cannot be determined until the measles virus can be isolated from patients with multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Adams' address is Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California 90024.

Supported in part by a grant from the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation

Submitted for publication Dec. 3, 1969; accepted Jan. 5, 1970.

We wish to thank Natalie Stein for technical assistance and Evelyn Stern for statistical analysis. Monkey red blood cells were kindly supplied by the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center and we wish to express our appreciation to Doctor William Montagna, director. We express our appreciation for the cooperation and support of Dr. Vernon L. Nickel, medical director, and Dr. Richard P. Boggs, chief of neurology, Rancho Los Amigos Hospital.