A Review of Multiple Sclerosis as an Infectious Syndrome

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that is generally considered to be an autoimmune myelitis of unknown etiology. Epidemiological studies suggest that infection may act as a trigger on a predisposing genetic background. A number of causative agents have been considered. This review will focus on the pathogenesis of MS and link this pathophysiology to infectious agents that have been implicated as possible co-factors. By doing so, MS will be viewed as an infectious syndrome that involves a CNS infection that results in a neurodegenerative process as well as an autoimmune disease. Early detection of infectious triggers could allow appropriate intervention and thus improved outcomes.