Multiple sclerosis in Cyprus.

The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) was studied in the Greek-speaking population in the southwestern district of Paphos and the eastern Famagusta area and in the Troodos mountains in Cyprus. Excluding refugees from the northern part of the island, the MS prevalence was 44.5 per 100,000. This is a similar prevalence to that found in Sicily and shows that, like Sicily, Greek-speaking Cypriots have a medium to high and not a low MS prevalence. There was no significant difference in MS prevalence between the warm Paphos and Famagusta areas and the much colder mountainous areas. In one village, Liopetri, there were five families with definite MS (CDMS), and one patient with clinically probable MS (CPMS). Excluding refugees, the prevalence for CDMS and CPMS in this village was 240 per 100,000. All six families are probably related.