Summary
The clinical findings and course in the first 2 cases of multiple sclerosis are described, in whom it was possible to isolate a virus from brain tissue by early sterile autopsy and fusion technique. It is noteworthy that in one of these cases multiple sclerosis probably occurred in female members of the family through three consecutive generations. A report is made on an additional case, in which no virus could be isolated, but in which electron microscopic studies showed two types of virus particles: nucleocapsid-like structures and particles identical in form and size with papova virus. Electron microscopic findings and attempts to cultivate a virus in multiple sclerosis published by other authors are discussed. It is pointed out, that the results described provide as yet no proof for the viral etiology of multiple sclerosis. They support the hypothesis, however, that a virus may play an essential role in the etiology and/or pathogenesis of this disease.
Problems in relation to brain biopsy in multiple sclerosis patients are discussed. Early sterile autopsy is considered the most practicable possibility for obtaining tissue material for culturing and for ultrastructural studies in multiple sclerosis.
Zusammenfassung
Die klinischen Befunde und der Verlauf in 2 Fällen von multipler Sklerose, in denen es erstmalig gelungen ist, durch Früh/Steril-Autopsie und Fusionstechnik ein Virus aus Hirngewebe zu züchten, werden geschildert, Einer dieser Fälle ist dadurch noch bemerkenswert, daß in drei konsekutiven Generationen — Großmutter, Mutter und Tochter — eine multiple Sklerose vorhanden war. Über einen weiteren Fall von MS wird berichtet, in welchem elektronenoptisch zwei verschiedene Typen virusartiger Partikel zur Darstellung gelangten: nucleokapsidartige und Anhäufung von Partikeln, die nach Form und Größe Papova-Viren entsprachen. Die bisher publizierten elektronenoptischen Befunde und Versuche, ein Virus bei der MS zu züchten, werden diskutiert. Es wird hervorgehoben, daß die geschilderten Ergebnisse noch keinen Beweis für die virale Genese der multiplen Sklerose darstellen. Sie unterstützen jedoch die Hypothese, daß Viren in der Ätiologie und/oder Pathogenese dieses Nervenleidens von Bedeutung sein könnten.
Die Problematik der Biopsie bei MS-Kranken wird diskutiert und der Stand-punkt vertreten, daß die Früh/Steril-Autopsie die praktikabelste Möglichkeit zur Gewinnung von Material für die Gewebezüchtung und für ultrastrukturelle Studien bei der multiplen Sklerose darstellt.
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Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Schwerpunktprogramm “Multiple Sklerose und verwandte Entmarkungskrankheiten“.
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Bauer, H.J., ter Meulen, V., Koprowski, H. et al. Early sterile autopsy in etiological studies on multiple sclerosis. J. Neurol 208, 159–174 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630630
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630630