Beta-interferon treatment reduces human herpesvirus-6 viral load in multiple sclerosis relapses but not in remission

To determine whether the DNA prevalence of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), the viral load and the prevalence of both HHV-6 variants in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients in exacerbation are altered by beta-interferon (IFN-beta) treatment, in comparison with RRMS patients in remission, we analyzed HHV-6 ( A and B) genomes in 189 serum samples by quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction: 105 of the RRMS patients were receiving IFN-beta treatment (48 in exacerbation) and 84 were untreated ( 36 in relapse). The results were as follows. ( 1) Prevalence decrease because of IFN-beta treatment was not significant: 25% of RRMS patients in relapse vs. 15.9% in remission ( p = 0.45). ( 2) Viral load was twice as much in untreated patients in relapse than in treated ones. ( 3) We only found variant A. Since IFN-beta treatment is able to significantly reduce HHV-6 viral load in RRMS patients in relapse, but not in remission, we suggest a role for HHV-6 in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis exacerbations and an antiviral role for IFN-beta treatment in RRMS. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.