Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen and viral capsid antigen antibody titers in multiple sclerosis

Larsen, Paul D. MD
Bloomer, Linda C. PhD
Bray, Patrick F. MD

Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Larsen, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78284.

Supported in part by the Public Health Services Research Grant NRR-64 from the Division of Research Resources (Clinical Research Center), The Clipped Wings Foundation® (United Airlines Stewardess Alumnae). and the local Multiple Sclerosis Society.

An abstract of this material was presented at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association, New Orleans, October 1983.

Accepted for publication June 22, 1984.

Neurology 35(3):p 435-438, March 1985.

Article abstract

To characterize the antibody response to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in MS, we studied serum anti-EBV nuclear antigen (anti-EBNA) and anti-EBV capsid antigen (anti-EBVC A) titers. Both titers were assayed in 93 age- and sex-matched pairs of MS patients and controls. Anti-EBVCA titers were measured by indirect immunofluorescence and anti-EBNA titers by anticomplement immunofluorescence. The seropositivity rate of both anti-EBVCA and anti-EBNA in MS patients was l00%, compared with 84% in controls (p < 0.0001). Both anti-EBVCA and anti-EBNA titers were significantly higher in MS patients than in controls (p < 0.0001). The data suggest that EBV has a significant seroepidemiologic association with MS, but they do not define what role EBV antibodies play in the pathogenesis of the disease.