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Epstein–Barr virus infection after adolescence and human herpesvirus 6A as risk factors for multiple sclerosis

Biström, M. ; Jons, D. ; Engdahl, E. ; Gustafsson, R. ; Huang, J. ; Brenner, N. ; Butt, J. ; Alonso-Magdalena, L. LU ; Gunnarsson, M. and Vrethem, M. , et al. (2021) In European Journal of Neurology 28(2). p.579-586
Abstract

Background and purpose: Infections with human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) development. For EBV, late infection has been proposed as a risk factor, but serological support is lacking. The objective of this study was to investigate how age affects the EBV and HHV-6A associated risks of developing MS. Methods: In this nested case–control study, Swedish biobanks were accessed to find pre-symptomatically collected blood samples from 670 individuals who later developed relapsing MS and 670 matched controls. A bead-based multiplex assay was used to determine serological response against EBV and HHV-6A. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95%... (More)

Background and purpose: Infections with human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) development. For EBV, late infection has been proposed as a risk factor, but serological support is lacking. The objective of this study was to investigate how age affects the EBV and HHV-6A associated risks of developing MS. Methods: In this nested case–control study, Swedish biobanks were accessed to find pre-symptomatically collected blood samples from 670 individuals who later developed relapsing MS and 670 matched controls. A bead-based multiplex assay was used to determine serological response against EBV and HHV-6A. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Seropositivity against EBV exhibited a pattern where associations switched from a decreased risk of developing MS in the group below 20 years of age to an increased risk amongst individuals aged 20–29 and 30–39 years (p for trend 0.020). The age of transition was estimated to be 18.8 years. In contrast, HHV-6A was associated with increased MS risk in all age groups (total cohort odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.6–2.7). Conclusions: This study suggests EBV infection after adolescence and age independent HHV-6A infection as risk factors for MS.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
case–control studies, Epstein–Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6A, multiple sclerosis, serology
in
European Journal of Neurology
volume
28
issue
2
pages
579 - 586
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85096633448
  • pmid:33065762
ISSN
1351-5101
DOI
10.1111/ene.14597
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ac86843b-795f-4c75-99f4-6afc585f87c5
date added to LUP
2020-12-08 10:45:08
date last changed
2024-04-17 20:07:44
@article{ac86843b-795f-4c75-99f4-6afc585f87c5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background and purpose: Infections with human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) development. For EBV, late infection has been proposed as a risk factor, but serological support is lacking. The objective of this study was to investigate how age affects the EBV and HHV-6A associated risks of developing MS. Methods: In this nested case–control study, Swedish biobanks were accessed to find pre-symptomatically collected blood samples from 670 individuals who later developed relapsing MS and 670 matched controls. A bead-based multiplex assay was used to determine serological response against EBV and HHV-6A. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Seropositivity against EBV exhibited a pattern where associations switched from a decreased risk of developing MS in the group below 20 years of age to an increased risk amongst individuals aged 20–29 and 30–39 years (p for trend 0.020). The age of transition was estimated to be 18.8 years. In contrast, HHV-6A was associated with increased MS risk in all age groups (total cohort odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.6–2.7). Conclusions: This study suggests EBV infection after adolescence and age independent HHV-6A infection as risk factors for MS.</p>}},
  author       = {{Biström, M. and Jons, D. and Engdahl, E. and Gustafsson, R. and Huang, J. and Brenner, N. and Butt, J. and Alonso-Magdalena, L. and Gunnarsson, M. and Vrethem, M. and Bender, N. and Waterboer, T. and Granåsen, G. and Olsson, T. and Kockum, I. and Andersen, O. and Fogdell-Hahn, A. and Sundström, Peter}},
  issn         = {{1351-5101}},
  keywords     = {{case–control studies; Epstein–Barr virus; human herpesvirus 6A; multiple sclerosis; serology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{579--586}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Neurology}},
  title        = {{Epstein–Barr virus infection after adolescence and human herpesvirus 6A as risk factors for multiple sclerosis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ene.14597}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/ene.14597}},
  volume       = {{28}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}