Westarp M E, Bartmann P, Rössler J, Geiger E, Westphal K P, Schreiber H, Fuchs D, Westarp M P, Kornhuber H H
Ulm University Dept. Neurology, Germany.
Neuroreport. 1993 Jun;4(6):819-22. doi: 10.1097/00001756-199306000-00056.
Clinical and experimental findings in idiopathic amyothrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) would be compatible with a retroviral involvement. In 35 adult patients with non-familial ALS we observed elevated circulating immune complexes, a decrease in IgG3 isotype and enzyme-linked sorbent assay (ELISA) serum antibodies against human spuma retrovirus (HSRV), confirmed by specific human foamy virus immunoblots. All 35 were negative for IgM or relevant IgG anti-ganglioside antibodies. We treated 12 HIV-negative, immune-complex-positive ALS patients with 500 mg d-1 zidovudine p.o. over 2-10 months and found reductions of serum creatine kinase and circulating immune complexes from two days to two weeks after the beginning of medication.
