Varicella-Zoster (Herpes Virus) Possible MS trigger?

I was reading an article in a magazine at work today that caught my attention, it was
about the Chicken Pox (Varicella-Zoster(Herpes Virus) when contracted as an Adult
could trigger the demyelination that occurs in MS.  
Has anyone else read or heard of this.  When I was 20, I had a severe case of  Chicken
Pox that landed me in the hospital for 5 days. I had them internal as well as external, Which
cause breathing difficulties, They called it Pox-pneumonia.  It was about 1 1/2 years later
that I stated having all my sx.  Just curious if anyone has any thought on this.
Cyndi

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Varicella-Zoster has been investigated several times, but to my knowledge has failed to give any good data that it is one of the infectious triggers suspected in MS.  There may be a new study out.  I will look.

To date the biggest possible culprits in triggering the onset of MS are, in order:

Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) but only after it has caused Infectious Mononucleosis, one of the most severe types of infection.

Chlamydia pneumonia

Human Herpes Virus 6 - known aslo as Roseola

About 98% of all people have been previously infected by EBV and HHV6.  The percentage is stightly less for Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Cyndi, could you look at that article and see if it mentions what journal the study came out in?

Thanks,

Quix

[cyndi25]

Hi
I recall seeing Epidometry, the article was in a Nursing type Magazine the kind that they send to Doctors offices, Hospitals, Retirement  facilities, ect.. not your typical , Goodhousekeeping type magazine. I will check to see if it is still available.  
Hope your feeling well, and thanks for everything... :)
Cyndi

[Heather3418]

I am in total agreement with your comments.  Cyndi, I also believe that they may find that the Chicken Pox virus may have triggered the changes in our immune system.  I read many years ago, where scientists were studying that very thing, but concluded that they believe that MS starts from a virus, but could not put their finger on just which one or which combination of viruses'.

Quix I would be interested in knowing how many people on this Forum have been exposed to HHV-6 and EBV and Chicken Pox.  I have had all three, since I was born.  I had EBV with the mono as a young teenager.

This is a very interesting post and one we ought to explore among our members.  Who wants to start a poll?  And would you two be interested in knowing such results?

Heather

[Heather3418]

I forgot to add...everytime I have an outbreak of Herpes Simplex 1 (which is the mouth kind of Herpes) I will have a great worsening of MS symptoms.  I know that this may only have to do with ANY infection triggering symptoms of an MS relapse or a worsening of current symptoms.  I am aware that anything like a simple bad cold, can trigger our immune systems to kick into higher gear, which has ALWAYS caused a worsening of symptoms in my case with MS.  Especially a respiratory infection.  

In fact, that's when the first symptoms of MS occured in me, 14 years ago.

Heather

[essdipity]

Well, since almost everyone (in the US) carries EBV and HHV-6, I don't know what we could try to demonstrate with a poll. I've never had mono, never had roseola (although blood work years ago shows I carry the marker). Did have bad chicken pox as a 3 year old, and about 14 years ago I had shingles (which requires having had chicken pox). That was about 5 years before my first MS symptoms.

But the thing is, huge numbers of people, many millions have this same history without MS. It's almost like talking about sinus problems or allergies.

If I'm missing something here, please explain, and have a good Tuesday.

ess

[Heather3418]

I only suggest a poll to actually see how many members with and without a diagnosis of MS, have had any of these infections.  Nothing scientific, only a matter of seeing the data among our members.

Have a good Tuesday too, Ess.

Ess, it's been almost two years now, since we met each other at my father's funeral.  I will never forget your compassion and love shown to me and the long distance you traveled to be at the Naval Academy that day.  God Bless you.  I'll never forget what you did for my spirit that day.... I'm sorry I wasn't a good hostess.

Big Hugs,
Heather

[essdipity]

Heather, I was truly glad to come. That's what friends are for!!

Love,
ess

[Quixotic1]

The poll would show that at least 98% had had the EBV infection.  Fewer  people know about HH6 because it infects in infancy and may or may not have been identified as Roseola to our mothers.  It is unlikely that many know if they ever had an infection with Clamydia (chlamydia) pneumonia - it is under diagnosed but is one of the major causes of community-acquired (as opposed to hospital-acquired) pneumonia.

Herpes Simplex has not been shown to be a possible major trigger for MS, but as mentioned above, it can be a powerful stimulus for a relapse or for the initial onset because of the stimulation of the immune system.

I did a little research into the VZ virus and it does not appear that there is new info regarding this as a trigger for the "development" of MS, so I doubt the accuracy of that article.

Quix

[andrea_in_denver]

I have noticed that when I take my kids to the pediatricians office, where they constantly give out the chicken pox vaccine, I begin to experience MS symptoms within 2-3 weeks after that visit.  I can't be anywhere near the vaccine nor the virus!  

My first MS occurrence happened within weeks of my kids getting the chicken pox vaccine.  It was a very mild case of what I thought was shingles but the doctor wasn't sure...  He put me on Acyclovir anyway and it helped get rid of the tingling in my back.  Well 10 years later BOTH of my kids ended up with the chicken pox and that was when I had a major MS event.  Transverse Myelitis really bad at T9 and very bad tingling, numbing, buzzing from waist down.  I insisted on taking Acyclovir which in the end I think was what helped most.... symptoms fully resolved.  But started Copaxone and have been skeptical of taking it ever since... on again and off again...\but that's another story...

Ever since then (5 years ago) I have noticed, without a doubt, that every time I go to the pediatricians office, my MS flares up. Recently I had to take my son to our local health department for vaccines for an international trip, which caused me to be in that office for about an hour and half, and now I am battling MS symptoms REALLY bad!  I am going to my doctor today to talk to him about the maximum dose of antiviral I can be put on...  

I think the amount of exposure determines the severity of the reaction.    

One last comment...  I always believed there was a connection between the chicken pox virus/vaccine and my MS events.  Oddly enough I never googled them together until yesterday...  I am shocked that there really might be some validity to what I have observed from day one when I had my first event following my kids vaccination....  even back then I questioned the doctor about how weird it was that I might have shingles and could there be ANY relationship to my kids having the vaccine just a few weeks prior...  turns out that was my first MS event according to a very smart  nuero/virologist who linked the events together.  That's who I am seeing today!

Sorry for the lengthy discussion BUT I am really interested to hear if anyone else notices this same reaction to the chicken pox virus/vaccine and how it might trigger MS symptoms.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

Andrea  

[wguimb]

Had the Hepatitis C virus for 35 years, destroyed my liver, got a liver transplant.  I fell in the hospital (don't fall in a hospital, you will be treated like a prisoner).  They did an MRI of my head, it was clean.  Now, less than two years after the transplant, I have no rejection because of anti-rejection drugs.  But now my MRI's show MS.   Looks to me as a simple layman that these are connected somehow.  I still have the HepC by the way. The liver transplant does not get rid of the virus.