Is there any link between Hepatitis B and Infectious mononucleosis with Multiple Sclerosis? Read my Details!?

I know 4 people who have or had Multiple Sclerosis, from what I've heard it is very common and at a higher risk in the south eastern region of Michigan for some reason. I have had 2 aunts diagnosed with progressive(one has already passed), 1 friend of my family diagnosed with relapsed remitting(who has now passed), a neighbor who has relapsed remitting, and a friend my Mom works with who has relapsed remitting. But the only thing that all these cases noticed(except one) was that they caught Hepatitis B and Mono before being diagnosed with MS. Is there any factual evidence that links these diseases?

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The one exception that I listed above had Mono but has never had Hepatitis B. So every case has had mono and every case but one has had hepatitis B

MS is an autoimmune disease where the nerves of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) degenerate. Inflammation causes the myelin (nerve covering which conducts impulses) to eventually disappear which slows down nerve impulses and leads to problems functioning.

We are constantly learning more about MS. There are genetic and environmental components to it: a parent may pass on the predisposition for an autoimmune disease to their child. Doesn't mean it will be passed on. Doesn't mean that if it is passed on that anything (like a virus) will ever trigger the autoimmune response.

The general population has <1% chance of contracting MS. The chance increases in families where a first-degree relative of a person with MS has the disease. The chance increases in families where a first-degree relative has MS to 1-3%. An identical twin runs a nearly 30% chance of acquiring MS whereas a non-identical twin has only a 4% chance if the other twin has the disease.

Mononucleosis is a viral disease. It can also cause liver inflammation, but this form of hepatitis is rarely serious or requires treatment.
Hepatitis B virus is spread or acquired through exposure to infected blood or the body's secretions.

Viral infections can triger autoimmune responses, but I have never heard of specific autoimmune diseases being attributed to specific viruses. I have MS, but have never had mono or hep B. My mother and aunt have MS, but have never had mono or hep B.

Hi,

My sympathies at the loss of your aunts.

This came up on my MS Yahoo Group recently. I never had Hepatitis B, but did have mono a couple of years before I started having symptoms of MS. I was diagnosed about 10 years after the mono. I never felt like I got my full energy level back after the mono.

There have been some studies suggesting a link between Hepatitis B, the vaccine, mono and MS. I will try and look them up later and post it.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MSR...

There is new evidence linking the virus that causes mononucleosis with an increased risk for multiple sclerosis, but experts say it is unlikely that Epstein-Barr virus infection alone triggers the degenerative nerve disease.