Lack of evidence for Marek's disease virus genomic sequences in leukocyte DNA from multiple sclerosis patients in Germany

Herpes viruses have repeatedly been associated with the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). In the course of investigations on a cluster of MS patients in Key West, Florida, it was suggested that Marek's disease virus (MDV), a cell-associated avian herpes virus, might be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. The aim of our study was to investigate 107 well-defined MS patients with regard to latent MDV infection. Using a highly- sensitive polymerase chain reaction technique, we did not find MDV-related sequences in leukocyte DNA of any of the patients. The results of our study do not suggest an implication of MDV in the pathogenesis of MS.