TY - JOUR
T1 - Complete Epstein-Barr virus seropositivity in a large cohort of patients with early multiple sclerosis
AU - Abrahamyan, Sargis
AU - Abrahamyan, Sargis
AU - Eberspächer, Bettina
AU - Hoshi, Muna Miriam
AU - Aly, Lilian
AU - Luessi, Felix
AU - Groppa, Sergiu
AU - Klotz, Luisa
AU - Meuth, Sven G.
AU - Schroeder, Christoph
AU - Grüter, Thomas
AU - Tackenberg, Björn
AU - Paul, Friedemann
AU - Paul, Friedemann
AU - Then-Bergh, Florian
AU - Kümpfel, Tania
AU - Weber, Frank
AU - Stangel, Martin
AU - Bayas, Antonios
AU - Wildemann, Brigitte
AU - Heesen, Christoph
AU - Zettl, Uwe
AU - Warnke, Clemens
AU - Warnke, Clemens
AU - Antony, Gisela
AU - Hessler, Nicole
AU - Wiendl, Heinz
AU - Bittner, Stefan
AU - Hemmer, Bernhard
AU - Gold, Ralf
AU - Salmen, Anke
AU - Ruprecht, Klemens
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2020/7/1
Y1 - 2020/7/1
N2 - Objective To determine the prevalence of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in a large cohort of patients with early multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Serum samples were collected from 901 patients with a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) participating in the German National MS cohort, a prospective cohort of patients with early MS with stringent inclusion criteria. Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA)-1 and viral capsid antigen (VCA) antibodies were measured in diluted sera by chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIAs). Sera of EBNA-1 and VCA antibody-negative patients were retested undiluted by an EBV IgG immunoblot. For comparison, we retrospectively analysed the EBV seroprevalence across different age cohorts, ranging from 0 to >80 years, in a large hospital population (N=16 163) from Berlin/Northern Germany. Results EBNA-1 antibodies were detected by CLIA in 839 of 901 patients with CIS/RRMS. Of the 62 patients without EBNA-1 antibodies, 45 had antibodies to VCA as detected by CLIA. In all of the remaining 17 patients, antibodies to EBV were detected by immunoblot. Altogether, 901 of 901 (100%) patients with CIS/RRMS were EBV-seropositive. EBV seropositivity increased with age in the hospital population but did not reach 100% in any of the investigated age cohorts. Conclusion The complete EBV seropositivity in this large cohort of patients with early MS strengthens the evidence for a role of EBV in MS. It also suggests that a negative EBV serology in patients with suspected inflammatory central nervous system disease should alert clinicians to consider diagnoses other than MS.
AB - Objective To determine the prevalence of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in a large cohort of patients with early multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Serum samples were collected from 901 patients with a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) participating in the German National MS cohort, a prospective cohort of patients with early MS with stringent inclusion criteria. Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA)-1 and viral capsid antigen (VCA) antibodies were measured in diluted sera by chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIAs). Sera of EBNA-1 and VCA antibody-negative patients were retested undiluted by an EBV IgG immunoblot. For comparison, we retrospectively analysed the EBV seroprevalence across different age cohorts, ranging from 0 to >80 years, in a large hospital population (N=16 163) from Berlin/Northern Germany. Results EBNA-1 antibodies were detected by CLIA in 839 of 901 patients with CIS/RRMS. Of the 62 patients without EBNA-1 antibodies, 45 had antibodies to VCA as detected by CLIA. In all of the remaining 17 patients, antibodies to EBV were detected by immunoblot. Altogether, 901 of 901 (100%) patients with CIS/RRMS were EBV-seropositive. EBV seropositivity increased with age in the hospital population but did not reach 100% in any of the investigated age cohorts. Conclusion The complete EBV seropositivity in this large cohort of patients with early MS strengthens the evidence for a role of EBV in MS. It also suggests that a negative EBV serology in patients with suspected inflammatory central nervous system disease should alert clinicians to consider diagnoses other than MS.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086690974&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/jnnp-2020-322941
DO - 10.1136/jnnp-2020-322941
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 32371533
AN - SCOPUS:85086690974
SN - 0022-3050
VL - 91
SP - 681
EP - 686
JO - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
IS - 7
ER -
