Association of infections with multiple sclerosis in Gulf Cooperation Council countries: a review

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, causing inflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration. Infection can play a role in its etiology. Herein, a review is presented of studies that have reported an association between infection and MS risk in countries of the Arabian Gulf region. Searches of the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases were carried out using various search terms, and relevant studies published through January 2019 on the epidemiology of MS in Gulf Cooperation Council countries identified. MS has been found to be associated with measles in Saudi Arabia and Epstein–Barr virus in Kuwait whereas no association has been identified between risk of MS and varicella-zoster virus, mumps, or human herpesvirus-6. However, few epidemiological studies on this topic have been conducted in countries of the Gulf region. Longitudinal and serological studies to establish robust evidence between infection and risk of MS are highly recommended, and a regional MS registry is needed.

Association between obesity during different age periods and multiple sclerosis in Saudi Arabia: A multicenter case–control study

“…1 MS has a multifactorial etiology and is triggered by environmental factors in individuals with complex www.nsj.org.sa genetic profiles. [2][3][4][5][6] Obese individuals may have a higher risk of developing MS. A previous study showed that individuals with a body mass index )BMI( of more than 27 kg/m 2 at age 20 years had twice the risk of developing MS than normal-weight individuals. 7 Another study conducted in Norway involving individuals aged 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years found that large body sizes )Stunkard's standard body silhouettes 6-9( were associated with an increased risk of MS compared to silhouette 3, particularly at age 25 among female participants.…”