Binzer S, Imrell K, Binzer M, Vang S, Rogvi-Hansen B, Hillert J, Stenager E
Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, United Kingdom.
Acta Neurol Scand. 2010 Jan;121(1):16-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2009.01291.x. Epub 2009 Nov 16.
John Kurtzke has proposed that multiple sclerosis (MS) on the Faroe Islands occurred as a result of the spread of a transmittable agent brought to the country during World War II.
Kurtzke's theory has been opposed earlier and in this study, we present a family from the Faroe Islands containing a total of 14 family members with MS which show further inconsistencies with the theory. The present study is to our knowledge, the first description of familial incidences of MS on the Faroe Islands.
Medical histories were gathered from 12 family members and 6 of the 8 living MS cases were human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-typed.
Seven family members had primary progressive MS (PPMS), while five had relapsing remitting MS. The HLA-DR15 allele was carried by the three cases with the most aggressive form of MS and they shared a common haplotypes. The HLA types carried by the remaining cases varied.
This research questions Kurtzke's theory as three of the cases do not conform to the epidemic cohorts described. Furthermore, there appears to be a higher than usual prevalence of PPMS. The high degree of heterogeneity of the HLA types carried indicates that HLA alleles do not independently explain the risk of developing MS.
约翰·库尔茨克提出，法罗群岛上的多发性硬化症（MS）是二战期间传入该国的一种可传播病原体扩散所致。
库尔茨克的理论此前遭到反对，在本研究中，我们展示了一个来自法罗群岛的家族，其中共有14名家庭成员患有MS，这显示出该理论存在更多矛盾之处。据我们所知，本研究是对法罗群岛上MS家族发病率的首次描述。
收集了12名家庭成员的病史，并对8名在世的MS患者中的6名进行了人类白细胞抗原（HLA）分型。
7名家庭成员患有原发进展型MS（PPMS），5名患有复发缓解型MS。最具侵袭性MS形式的3例患者携带HLA - DR15等位基因，且他们共享一种常见单倍型。其余患者携带的HLA类型各不相同。
本研究对库尔茨克的理论提出质疑，因为其中3例不符合所描述的流行队列。此外，PPMS的患病率似乎高于正常水平。所携带HLA类型的高度异质性表明，HLA等位基因并不能独立解释患MS的风险。
