Comparison of Antibodies Against Different Viruses in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum Samples from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

The occurrence of a local production in the central nervous system (CNS) of antibodies against different selected viruses was analyzed by comparison of titers in serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from groups of 50 patients with multiple sclerosis from Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Measles antibodies were determined in hemagglutination inhibition, hemolysis inhibition, and nucleocapsid complement fixation tests; mumps, parainfluenza virus type 1, and rubella virus antibodies were determined in hemagglutination inhibition tests; and herpes simplex virus type 1 antibodies were determined in passive hemagglutination tests. For reference purposes tests were also made for adenovirus antibodies in penton hemagglutination enhancement tests and poliovirus antibodies in neutralization enhancement tests. Among the 150 multiple sclerosis patients, a local production of antibodies against measles virus was found in the CNS in 57%, against rubella virus in 19%, mumps virus in 15%, herpes simplex virus type 1 in 11%, and parainfluenza virus type 1 (Sendai) in 3T. A local production in the CNS of antibodies against any of the viruses studied was found in 71% of multiple sclerosis patients. These included 48, 16, and 7% that produced antibodies to one, two, and three or more viruses, respectively.

Infections and multiple sclerosis

“…Studies comparing levels of antibody in spinal fluid with those in serum rather consistently showed intrathecal synthesis of antibodies against measles virus, but abnormalities in the serum/ spinal fluid antibody ratios have also been found for a wider spectrum of agents (Table 7.3). In one study, 23% of patients with multiple sclerosis had disproportionately high spinal fluid antibodies to two or more viruses (Norrby et al, 1974); in another study, simultaneous intrathecal synthesis occurred to as many as 11 different agents in the same patient (Salmi et al, 1983). In discordant twin studies higher serum and spinal fluid levels of antibody are usually found in the affected twin (Kinnunen et al, 1990).…”

Infectious Demyelinating Diseases

“…40.4). In one study, 23% of patients with MS had disproportionately high antibodies to 2 or more viruses in the spinal Xuid (Norrby et al, 1974); in another study one patient was reported who had evidence of intrathecal synthesis of antibody to 11 diVerent viruses (Salmi et al, 1983). In general, twin studies have shown higher levels in antibody in the serum or spinal Xuid of the aVected twin than of the healthy twin (Kinnunen et al, 1990).…”

Intrathecal synthesis of IgG antibodies to varicella‐zoster virus in two cases of acute aseptic meningitis syndrome with no cutaneous lesions

“…The VZV etiology was established by different methods, ie, antigen detection in lymphocytes of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) [Peters et al, 19791, complement fixation, or indirect membrane immunofluorescence in serum and/or CSF [Easton, 1970;Gershon et al, 1980;Vilchez-Padilla et al, 19821 or detection of specific oligoclonal antibodies in CSF [Vartdal et al, 19821. The search for virus-specific antibodies in CSF through highly sensitive serological techniques may be applied to the etiological diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections. These methods have been utilized both for the investigation of subacute and chronic neurological processes such as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) or multiple sclerosis [Salmi et al, 1972;Norrby et al, 1974;Kiessling et al, 1977;Nordal et al, 1978;Arnadottir et al, 1982;Vartdal and Vandvik, 19831 and in acute infections, such as mumps meningitis [Friden et al, 1978;Morishima et al, 1980;Ukkonen et al, 19811, encephalitis and ascending myelitis due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) [Lerner et al, 1972;Levine et al, 1978;Kosluniemi and Vaheri, 1982;Kosluniemi et al, 19821, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis encephalomyelitis caused by VZV [Gershon et al, 1980;Vartdal et al, 1982;Andiman et al, 19821, or arbovirus encephalitis [Hoffman et al, 1979;Burke et al, 19821. As far as acute viral infections are concerned, the diagnosis is based on the demonstration that specific antibodies are produced intrathecally .…”

“…This albumin index is considered as the most suitable test for this purpose [Felgenhauer, 19821. 2) Absence of antibodies to other viruses in CSF of the patients and of specific antibodies to the virus in the control patients [Gershon et al, 19801. 3) Antibody levels in CSF clearly in excess of those in serum, when comparing either absolute titers [Salmi et al, 1972;Norrby et al, 1974;Levine et al, 1978;Hoffman et al, 1979;Morishima et al, 1980;Vartdal et al, 19821, total IgG [Ukkonen et al, 19811, or antibody indexes determined in respect to serum and CSF albumin concentrations [Andiman et al, 1982;Arnadottir et al, 1982;Koskiniemi et al, 19821. 4) Detection of specific oligoclonal antibodies in CSF [Norrby et al, 1974;FridCn et al, 1978;Vartdal et al, 1982;Koskiniemi et al, 19821. We describe two patients with an acute meningitis syndrome (AAMS) with no cutaneous lesions or a recent history of varicella or zoster clinically apparent who exhibited, in CSF, VZV antibodies of intrathecal origin according to some of the previously mentioned criteria.…”