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 Citation Map 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 HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cook, S. D. Articles by Dowling, P. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cook, S. D. Articles by Dowling, P. C.

Declining incidence of multiple sclerosis in the Orkney Islands

Neurology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, East Orange, and Department of Neurosciences (Drs. Cook. Tapp, and Dowling), University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark; the National Institutes of Health (Dr. Poskanzer), National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD; and the Orkney Health Board (Mr. Cromarty), Kirkwall, Orkney, UK Walker is in private practice in Orkney.

The incidence of MS in the Orkney Islands has been updated from 1941 to September 21, 1983. Since 1965, MS incidence rates have fallen significantly when compared with those for 1941 to 1964. Alterations in age-specific prevalence, mean duration of illness, and mean age of the MS population are consistent with the decline in incidence of MS in recent years. Although the reason for the decreasing incidence is uncertain, it is consistent with the hypothesis that MS may be caused by canine distemper virus.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Cook. Neurology Service (127), VA Medical Center, East Orange, NJ 07019

Supported by Veterans Administration Project No. 001 and a grant from The Kroc Foundation

Accepted for publication August 17, 1984.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C J Fowler, J N Panicker, M Drake, C Harris, S C W Harrison, M Kirby, M Lucas, N Macleod, J Mangnall, A North, et al. A UK consensus on the management of the bladder in multiple sclerosis Postgrad. Med. J., October 1, 2009; 85(1008): 552 - 559. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C J Fowler, J N Panicker, M Drake, C Harris, S C W Harrison, M Kirby, M Lucas, N Macleod, J Mangnall, A North, et al. A UK consensus on the management of the bladder in multiple sclerosis J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, May 1, 2009; 80(5): 470 - 477. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Warren, L. Svenson, and K. Warren Contribution of incidence to increasing prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Alberta, Canada Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2008; 14(7): 872 - 879. [Abstract] [PDF]

				O. Gray, G. McDonnell, and S. Hawkins Factors in the rising prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the north-east of Ireland Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2008; 14(7): 880 - 886. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C McGuigan, A McCarthy, C Quigley, L Bannan, S A Hawkins, and M Hutchinson Latitudinal variation in the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Ireland, an effect of genetic diversity J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, April 1, 2004; 75(4): 572 - 576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C H Hawkes Is multiple sclerosis a sexually transmitted infection? J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, October 1, 2002; 73(4): 439 - 443. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Noseworthy, C. Lucchinetti, M. Rodriguez, and B. G. Weinshenker Multiple Sclerosis N. Engl. J. Med., September 28, 2000; 343(13): 938 - 952. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Granieri, S. Malagu, I. Casetta, M. R. Tola, V. Govoni, E. Paolino, and V. C. Monetti Multiple Sclerosis in Italy: A Reappraisal of Incidence and Prevalence in Ferrara Arch Neurol, August 1, 1996; 53(8): 793 - 798. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. D. Cook REVIEW {blacksquare} : The Epidemiology of Multiple Sclerosis: Clues to the Etiology of a Mysterious Disease Neuroscientist, May 1, 1996; 2(3): 172 - 180. [Abstract] [PDF]