The incidence of antiviral antibodies in multiple slcerosis.

The serological investigation of 96 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, 61 patients with various other neurological diseases and 100 healthy controls made evident the increased incident of antimeasles and antiparinfluenza type 1 antibodies in the group of "probable" MS patients. There was no significant difference as regards antimumps antibodies. Antimeasles antibodies were detected in 7 of the 8 cerebrospinal fluid samples from "probable" MS patients, but in none of the 12 samples from patients with other neurological diseases. The significance of these results for the etiology of MS is discussed.