Is West Nile Virus infection associated with myasthenia gravis?

Abstract

Background Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease which is characterised by disruption of signal transmission at neuromuscular junction. We aimed to search about a newly reported association between MG and West Nile Virus (WNV) infection. Methods We searched WNV IgG by ELISA in serum samples of 50 available MG patients and 38 controls. Results None of the samples gave positive results for past WNV infection. Conclusion No evidence of past WNV infection was found in our study population of MG patients. This may have been because MG has been showed to be related with neuroinvasive WNV, which none of our study subjects seem to have had based on their stories. New multicentre studies focusing on immunological mechanisms and held with larger groups or especially neuroinvasive disease patients can cast light onto the answer of this question.