SCORPION BITE /M/S

[army249]

I WAS SUSPECTED PF M/S IN 2002 GOT CALLED UP FOR ARMY WENT TO AFGHANSTAN AND WAS BITTON BY A SCOPION IN AUGUST 08. A YEAR LATER I WAS CONFERMED THAT I HAD M/S. COULD THE SCORPION BITE BRING  IT ON FEARER SO DOCTOR CAN CONFERM A PERSON HAS M/S

[Anely]

Hello,
I'm 35 years old and 10 years ago I was bitten by a scorpio and I ended up on ER. Few years later, I developed hyperthyroidism which I just recently managed to balance.
This year, I was diagnosed with optic neuritis -which for many is considered the first symptom of MS- and since then I strongly believe that this bite had something to do with it.
Just wanted you to know I totally feel you,

[Lulu54]

We've had this same type question from people who have had other venomous encounters, especially sting rays.  bob has analyzed this the right way - the bite itself does not cause MS, but can cause the exacerbation. Anything that causes "injury" to the inflammatory system can set off the chain of events that cause a relapse (aka: exacerbation).

I hope you stick around here and learn more about living with MS - this site has a lot to offer.

be well,
Lulu

[COBOB]

A scorpion sting is the injection of a complex chemical cocktail (I'm pulling this from a military field manual) containing multiple toxins and other compounds."The venom is composed of varying concentrations of neurotoxin, cardiotoxin, nephrotoxin, hemolytic toxin, phosphodiesterases, phospholipases, hyaluronidases, glycosaminoglycans, histamine, serotonin, tryptophan, and cytokine releasers."

Some interesting items in this list is cytokine releasers, phosphodiesterases, phospholipases.  Cytokines are are associated is an inflammatory response in the endothelium of blood vessels that provides the blood brain barrier (BBB.)  In animal models of MS (EAE - experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis,) cytokines play a role in allowing WBCs to cross the BBB and attack the myelin. Phosphodiesterases and phospholipases breakdown phosphlipids.  Myelin is a phospholipid.

So I can see how a scorpion sting could start an inflammatory response leading to an exacerbation.   I'm not saying that it did, bit the stress a scorpion sting puts on the body the complex biochemical makeup of the venom could have an adverse effect of the BBB and myelin.  This would be a discussion to have with a Neuroimmunologist.

Bob