Report on Medicine The latest in health and medical news  from WCBS Newsradio 88's Wayne Cabot.   If you have information that you would like to see here, please contact me at: FireLady40@aol.com.    Return to Articles Index Return to MS IndexReturn to Home Page

Most people had roseola as babies, but new research links the virus that causes it -- human herpes-six -- with MS. Herpes viruses hide in nerve endings.. flare then become dormant, just as MS often does. Dr. Jacqueline Friedman, senior research associate at Rockefeller University, says there's new evidence herpes six may be in involved in immune system attacks on the insulation around nerve fibers, called myelin, which causes MS.

 (FRIEDMAN :27)

 "Our investigations and others believe we have confirmed that this roseola virus persists in the oligodendrocytes, or the brain cells that produce myelin, in MS patients. Whereas in normal brains, the virus is no longer present. When the herpes virus becomes expressed on the oligodendrocyte, it can cause the immune cells to traffic into the brain, and to attack the antigens on the oligodendrocyte or the myelin sheathe."

(TRACK :05)

 Dr. Friedman's research team will test the anti-herpes drug valcyclovir in patients with MS.

 (FRIEDMAN :17)

 "Although this is just an association of this virus and multiple sclerosis -- it by no means confirms that this is the cause -- we felt we would like to try a medication that would dampen down, or decrease, the presence of this virus to see if patients stabilize and have less MS attacks."

(TRACK :13)

 A total of 60 MS patients will be enrolled in the two-year, placebo-controlled trial and followed with neurological testing.

Note: For information about the Rockefeller University trial, call: (212) 327-8415.

"Report on Medicine" is produced by Rita Baron-Faust, in cooperation with New York University School of Medicine. Queries about "Report on Medicine" can be e-mailed directly to NYU Medical Center at: nyumc.press@mcdev.med.nyu.edu