I'd like to start by saying I'm not Bromley but in today's episode, the part of Bromley will be played by Dignan...or at least I'm gonna pretend...
Here are a couple of studies from Pubmed relating to HHV6 and EBV and the anti-viral valacyclovir.
Presence of Epstein-Barr virus and human herpesvirus 6B DNA in multiple sclerosis patients: associations with disease activity.
Acta Neurol Scand. 2005 Dec;112(6):395-402.
Hollsberg P, Kusk M, Bech E, Hansen HJ, Jakobsen J, Haahr S.
Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark.
Objective - To assess the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) DNA in saliva and plasma from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled valacyclovir treatment study.
Methods - DNA was prepared following ultracentrifugation of saliva and plasma. EBV and HHV-6B DNAs were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Results - EBV and HHV-6B DNAs were detected in 41% and 65% of saliva samples, respectively. In patients treated with valacyclovir, the percentage of saliva samples with EBV was significantly reduced (9%; P = 0.000017), whereas the frequency of HHV-6B positive samples was unchanged (57%; P = 0.38 ). Longitudinal studies demonstrated a time-dependent reduction in the frequency of saliva samples containing EBV following valacyclovir treatment. In contrast, plasma contained EBV and HHV-6B DNAs in 17% and 25% of the samples, respectively, and these numbers were not significantly reduced following valacylovir treatment (13% and 16%, respectively), nor were they different from those of healthy controls (6% and 39%, respectively). Patients with high disease activity had a significantly higher frequency of EBV (P = 0.018) and HHV-6B (P = 0.023) positive samples than did patients with low disease activity. The presence of EBV and HHV-6B was strongly correlated in plasma (P < 0.00000001), but not in saliva (P = 0.41).
Conclusion - MS patients express EBV and HHV-6B in both saliva and plasma, but only the expression of EBV in saliva is significantly reduced following valacyclovir treatment. Although EBV and HHV-6B DNAs can be detected in plasma from healthy individuals, the co-expression of both these viruses in MS patients is highly significant and further associated with clinical activity. The observations of viral DNA in plasma are consistent with an underlying immunologic defect in MS.
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A randomized clinical trial of valacyclovir in multiple sclerosis.
Mult Scler. 2005 Jun;11(3):286-95.
Friedman JE, Zabriskie JB, Plank C, Ablashi D, Whitman J, Shahan B, Edgell R, Shieh M, Rapalino O, Zimmerman R, Sheng D.
Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, NY, NY 10010, USA.
jef4@med.nyu.edu
OBJECTIVE: The human Herpesvirus type-6 (HHV-6) has been implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS). Valacyclovir is an antiviral agent with an excellent safety profile. A two-year placebo-controlled, double-blind study was conducted to (1) ascertain if high-dose, prolonged treatment with valacyclovir would be safe and (2) observe if valacyclovir would delay the progression of MS clinically or by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
DESIGN/METHODS: Fifty-eight patients were stratified as to severity and randomly assigned to receive valacyclovir (3000 mg/day) or placebo for a period of two years. Patients were followed clinically over the two-year period by means of the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the Ambulation Index (AI) and brain MRI scans. Patients underwent routine lab studies every three months. Patients continued on the medication for two years unless they had a sustained progression or repeated exacerbations.
RESULTS: No patient discontinued the study due to side effects or toxicity. In Relative Ranking of Progression, time to first attack, attack rate, and time to withdrawal there were trends (but not statistically significant) toward drug effect over placebo in the Severe clinical category. MRI evaluation showed no significant drug effect.
CONCLUSIONS: Although not statistically significant, positive trends were detected for acyclovir by clinical measures, but not by MRI.
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