Viral Etiology Of Multiple Sclerosis Research Articles

Georg Schaltenbrand (1897-1979) and his research without moral boundaries on multiple sclerosis

In 1953 the prominent German neurologist Georg(es) Schaltenbrand became president of the German Neurological Society (DGN) and in 1967 honorary president. Less well known is the fact that from 1933 to 1936 he was member of the "Stahlhelm" and the Storm Troopers (SA). In 1937 he joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) and other Nazi organizations. For the last three decades Schaltenbrand's name has primarily been associated with human experiments performed in 1940. His objective was to prove the viral etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). To that end he injected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drawn from allegedly infected monkeys and MS patients into severely handicapped patients from the psychiatric asylum Werneck near Schweinfurt as well as into severely ill patients from the University Hospital of Würzburg without their consent. Weeks later he withdrew CSF samples from the recipients, sometimes repeatedly to control parameters of inflammation. Although not all details of his test series can be clarified, there is no doubt that he violated prevailing laws and ethical standards. According to the present state of knowledge, he was the only German professor of neurology during the Nazi era who performed such experiments on humans in terms of "research without moral boundaries". He later justified his actions by arguing that he had intended to exert apositive effect on the mentally ill. Judicial investigations ended in 1948 without an indictment. Long after his death, in 1994 the "Schaltenbrand experiments" became known to awider public and three years later the Medical Faculty of Würzburg condemned the unethical research and distanced itself from its former member. Today, Schaltenbrand's study is assessed as an unacceptable form of research on particularly vulnerable patients for the benefit of third parties. As aresult, ethical norms formulated in the 1930s were reinforced by international guidelines, e.g. the Declaration of Helsinki drafted by the World Medical Association.

Evidence for Viral Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis

The etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown, and several hypotheses have been advanced over the past century to explain it. Despite much effort, no single cause has been established. One of the most appealing hypotheses is that of infection due to a neurotropic infectious agent, possibly a virus. There are several lines of data to support this hypothesis. First, there are clear examples of inflammatory demyelinating disease caused directly or indirectly by viral infections in both humans and animals. Second, there is a strong environmental component to multiple sclerosis. Finally, there is aberrant immune reactivity against various viruses. Recent candidates have included measles and the related canine distemper virus, human herpesvirus 6, human endogenous retroviruses, and Epstein-Barr virus. The evidence is most extensive for the latter and will be discussed in some detail.

HTLV-1 infection and the viral etiology of multiple sclerosis

The HTLV-1 virus produces a progressive inflammatory, and then degenerative, myelopathy which evolves progressively from onset. HTLV-1 in endemic in populations which are recognized as having low risk of multiple sclerosis . Multiple sclerosis generally evolves as a relapsing-remitting disease and affects predominantly Caucasians. In Caucasians, HAM/TSP can be marked by fluctuations as well as relapses. In Asians MS affects preferentially the spinal cord. The author hypothesizes that population selection through environmental factors has pushed the immune response of Caucasians towards generating relapsing-remitting disease and that of Primordial populations towards progressive disease. HTLV-1 endemicity being the marker of Primordial populations and its absence that of Caucasians.

Multiple sclerosis and zoster encephalomyelitis: a probable common etiopathogenesis.

The involvement of herpesviruses1 in the possible viral etiology of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is radically opposed by several researches,2 who attribute the high serum and CSF antibody titers to activation of the latent virus by prolonged corticosteroid therapy.KeywordsMultiple SclerosisAmyotrophic Lateral SclerosisHerpes Simplex Virus TypeHerpes ZosterMotor Neuron DiseaseThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Viral etiology of multiple sclerosis: where does the truth lie?

Viral etiology of multiple sclerosis: where does the truth lie?

Encephalomyelitis induced by paramyxovirus in nonhuman primates with a special reference to possible viral etiology of multiple sclerosis.

Encephalomyelitis induced by paramyxovirus in nonhuman primates with a special reference to possible viral etiology of multiple sclerosis.

Early sterile autopsy in etiological studies on multiple sclerosis.

The clinical findings and course in the first 2 cases of multiple sclerosis are described, in whom it was possible to isolate a virus from brain tissue by early sterile autopsy and fusion technique. It is noteworthy that in one of these cases multiple sclerosis probably occurred in female members of the family through three consecutive generations. A report is made on an additional case, in which no virus could be isolated, but in which electron microscopic studies showed two types of virus particles: nucleocapsid-like structures and particles identical in form and size with papova virus. Electron microscopic findings and attempts to cultivate a virus in multiple sclerosis published by other authors are discussed. It is pointed out, that the results described provide as yet no proof for the viral etiology of multiple sclerosis. They support the hypothesis, however, that a virus may play an essential role in the etiology and/or pathogenesis of this disease. Problems in relation to brain autopsy in multiple sclerosis are discussed. Early sterile autopsy is considered the most practicable possibility for obtaining tissue material for culturing and for ultrastructural studies in multiple sclerosis.