The severe COVID-19 outcomes seen in MS patients do not appear attributable to an inherent immune dysfunction or an impaired antiviral response, but rather to MS-related disability and morbidity. That is the conclusion of the Italian MuSC-19 Study Group in its analysis of COVID-19 in MS patients (Sormani et al. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm 2022;9:e1105). Read More
COVID-19
Slide deck: COVID-19 – Epidemiology in Canada (March 11, 2022)
March 11, 2022Summary of epidemiology, cases and mortality rate; Canada and world statistics.
Can COVID vaccination cause demyelination?
March 7, 2022At the 2022 ACTRIMS Forum, three groups presented data on acute demyelinating events following COVID-19 vaccination. Read More
‘Breakthrough infection’ uncommon after COVID vaccination
February 24, 2022COVID-19 infections are generally uncommon in healthcare workers and MS patients who have been previously infected or who are fully vaccinated. However, it should be noted that most studies were done prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Read More
DMTs and vaccine response in MS: the evidence to date
July 27, 2021An Israeli study recently reported a significantly impaired humoral response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis receiving certain disease-modifying therapies (DMT) (Achiron et al. Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2021;14:17562864211012835). In that study, protective humoral immunity following administration of the Pfizer vaccine was observed in 100% of patients treated with cladribine, but only 22.7% of those on ocrelizumab and 3.8% of those receiving fingolimod. (See also Few vaccine responders with fingolimod, ocrelizumab, NeuroSens, April 23, 2021.) Read More