THE DISTRIBUTION OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND OTHER DISEASES

Abstract

In order to explain the existence of foci of multiple sclerosis (Ms) in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland, correlations of the distributions of MS with those of other diseases in these lands were determined. The other diseases comprised those which had been claimed to be associated with multiple sclerosis, as well as a number for which no reasonable association was likely. These diseases were tested in single or multiple years for the times of the respective MS prevalence studies, and many were also tested for the period wherein the MS patients were in their childhood years. There were a number of positive correlations of MS with what might be classed as acute childhood infections. This was most evident in Switzerland and not seen in the other lands in the prevalence years. However, for the data in the childhood years, there were also a number of positive associations of significance in Denmark and Norway. Of the several diseases studied only scarlatina, measles, mumps, diphtheria, and pertussis were associated with MS. While no satisfactory explanation for these correlations seems apparent, sero-logical studies indicating an increased incidence of measles and possibly mumps antibodies in MS patients might support the validity of this finding.