The occurrence of measles antigen precipitating antibodies in sera from patients with multiple sclerosis and their relatives.

Abstract

The gel precipitation reaction between measles antigen and sera from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, their children, siblings and parents, compared to those of controls from families without known cases of MS, were studied. The frequency of positive gel precipitation (GP) reaction is higher among MS patients than among controls. The siblings of MS patients have a higher per cent of positive GP reaction than the controls but smaller than MS patients. The frequency of positive GP reaction decreases with increasing age. Women have a higher per cent of positive GP reaction of measles antibody than men. The positive correlation between hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and GP reaction was shown. Only IgG was immunologically active against measles antigen.