infections

EBV-001 vaccine prevents EBV infection in lab-grown human cells

EBV-001, a vaccine candidate being developed by EBViously to target the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), triggered the production of potent antibodies against the virus in mice, and blood samples from these animals prevented EBV infection in lab-grown human cells. That’s according to new data presented by the company, which is…

Higher COVID-19 Risk Tied to 2 MS Therapies, Even With Vaccination

Fully vaccinated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who are treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) or Gilenya (fingolimod) have a significantly higher risk of COVID-19 infection than those given other immunosuppressive therapies, according to a study in Italy. Called breakthrough infections, these post-vaccination cases of SARS-CoV-2 ā€” the virus that causes…

Ocrevus, Gilenya May Limit Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccines: UK Study

COVID-19 infection rates after widespread vaccination were significantly higher among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) or Gilenya (fingolimod) than in the general population, but not among MS patients given other immunosuppressive disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), a data study in England reports. While information on patientsā€™ vaccination…

Serious Infections in Adolescence Linked to Increased MS Risk

Experiencing serious infections during adolescence is tied to an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, but those occurring in childhood don’t increase MS risk, according to a new Swedish study. The study also found that certain types of infections, especially those that affect the central…

#ECTRIMS2018 ā€” Infections, Severe Disability Complications More Likely Causes of Death in MS Patients, Study Shows

Infections and complications from severe disability are the greatest contributors to mortality amongĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a population-based study in British Columbia, Canada, which also found that that MS is a more common underlying cause of death among younger patients. The study, ā€œCauses that…

Deciding if Ocrevus Is Right When You’re Over 55

As a 61-year-old woman diagnosed in 2010 with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), I was overjoyed when theĀ U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in March 2017. Because Ocrevus is the first treatment approved to possibly slow the progression of PPMS, theĀ FDA’s green…

A Fall, a Scratch, and an MS Lesson Learned

In mid-July, the woman who writes the Multiple ExperienceS blog had a little fall. As Jamie explains, her rollator went forward, but her feet didn’t. The fall left a small cut on her knee. Over the next few days, Jamie’s knee swelled, and a trip to her doctor,…

Did You Wash Your Hands?

Iā€™ve been at a conference the last few days where scholars from around the world are discussing health literacy. Itā€™s a subject much more complicated than just wondering at what level a person might read, or if they can read at all. Itā€™s also a discipline rooted in…

MS-related Death Rate in British Military Is Much Higher Than in Other Professions, Study Finds

British military personnel are at significantly higher risk of dying from multiple sclerosis than people in other occupations, a study reports. University of Southampton researchers had done a previous study of mortality rates by occupation by checking records of residents of England and Wales. They noticed that the death rate among MS patients in the armed forces was much higher than that of people in other professions over three successive decades. MS has a genetic component but is also influenced by environmental factors, including vitamin D deficiency, smoking and certain viruses. Researchers wanted to learn why so many military people die of MS, and the causes. The team looked at the death records of men aged 20-74 between 1979 and 2010. They compared military people's MS-related mortality rates and death rates from all motor neuron diseases with those of other occupations. They also compared rates across social classes, which in the military presumably means lower-ranking enlisted people, higher-ranking enlisted people, and officers. They discovered that the MS-related mortality rate among military people was significantly higher than in other professions. The death rate from MS was also significantly higher than the rate from all motor neuron diseases in the armed forces. Interestingly, military people did not have a higher MS-related death rate when the team divided those in the study into three social classes or when they compared the armed forces mortality rate to those of similar occupations, such as police and fire services. The consistency of the findings, together with the high statistical significance observed, indicated that the results were not due to simple chance or a problem with the study method, the team said. They speculated that the higher military death rate could stem from the close proximity in which military personnel live and work, which could facilitate the transmission of infections that have the potential to cause MS. The results conflicted with those of a study that analyzed hospital admissions due to MS in a population of former military personnel. It reported no increased incidence of MS-related admissions in former military people, compared with non-military controls. Since such cohort studies are less prone to bias, the Southampton team called for more research on the topic.

#ACTRIMS2017 – 3 Trials Show MS Patients Receiving Ocrevus Had No Elevated Infection Risk

A detailed analysis ofĀ relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the three Phase 3 trials of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) showed that the treatment did not significantly increase their risk of infections ā€” serious or otherwise. Certain infections, including common colds and influenza, were numerically more common among Ocrevus-treated patients,…