Najafi Saeideh, Ghane Masood, Poortahmasebi Vahdat, Jazayeri Seyed Mohammad, Yousefzadeh-Chabok Shahrokh
Department of Microbiology, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Mazandaran, IR Iran.
Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory, Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Jundishapur J Microbiol. 2016 Jul 3;9(7):e36582. doi: 10.5812/jjm.36582. eCollection 2016 Jul.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic debilitating disease known as one of the most common neurological dysfunctions in young adults. Recent studies suggest that infections with herpesviruses play a critical role in the pathogenesis of MS.
The present investigation aimed to detect the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in patients with MS using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods.
Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from MS patients (n = 82) and from blood donors as control group (n = 89). They were tested for the presence of CMV antibodies and DNA by ELISA and PCR, respectively.
Anti-CMV was positive in 65 (79.3%) and 69 (77.5%) of the MS patients and healthy subjects, respectively (P= 0.853). Similarly, 23 (28%) and 2 (2.2%) patients were positive for CMV DNA among the MS and control groups, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the frequency of CMV DNA in the MS patients was significantly higher than in the healthy controls (P < 0.001).
The results of this study showed a possible association between CMV infection and MS. Further experimental and epidemiological studies using case-control approaches are needed to confirm this association.
多发性硬化症（MS）是一种慢性致残性疾病，是年轻成年人中最常见的神经功能障碍之一。最近的研究表明，疱疹病毒感染在MS的发病机制中起关键作用。
本研究旨在使用聚合酶链反应（PCR）和酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）方法检测MS患者中巨细胞病毒（CMV）的存在情况。
从MS患者（n = 82）和作为对照组的献血者（n = 89）中采集血浆和外周血单核细胞（PBMC）。分别通过ELISA和PCR检测CMV抗体和DNA的存在情况。
MS患者和健康受试者中抗CMV阳性率分别为65例（79.3%）和69例（77.5%）（P = 0.853）。同样，MS组和对照组中CMV DNA阳性患者分别为23例（28%）和2例（2.2%）。统计分析表明，MS患者中CMV DNA的频率显著高于健康对照组（P < 0.001）。
本研究结果显示CMV感染与MS之间可能存在关联。需要进一步采用病例对照方法进行实验和流行病学研究以证实这种关联。
