[Multiple sclerosis and the history of infectious diseases in childhood].

A case-control study was carried out comparing 300 patients with multiple sclerosis with 300 patients with ischialgia of various aetiology matched for age analysing history data concerning past infectious diseases and their complications in childhood. The following conclusions have been reached: In patients with multiple sclerosis exanthematous diseases (measles, rubella, varicella) and mumps in childhood were more frequent than in controls. No history of measles in late childhood occurring with higher frequency was found in the multiple sclerosis group as compared with controls. The age of measles had no greater pathogenetic importance for the development of multiple sclerosis. A high susceptibility to viral infections in childhood contributes to the susceptibility to neuroallergic reactions such as multiple sclerosis at later age.