Neighborhood with MS

[GracieBH]

I found out recently two houses right next door to where I grew up, both have people with MS. We all grew up there from birth.

I'm about 20 years younger than the first man. Then the next boy is about 15 years younger than me.

We were all raised on that street, side by side. What are the chances? And I contacted the MS society to see if there were studies on this and didn't really receive any direction, so maybe there isn't.

Just thought I would put this out there to see if it is that common to hear of something like this.

[Redwings]

Hi Gracie:
Sometimes "clusters" of diseases occur. Three people over 35 years probably doesn't count as a cluster, especially if it's in a part of the country that has a higher incidence of MS overall. Chances are sometimes indeed just chance.

But if you're interested in looking deeper at the MS cases in your neighborhood, you can start by contacting your local and/or state departments of public health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC gathers and maintains information about disease outbreaks, and they can tell you if there are MS clusters at or near where you grew up.

Have you seen the NMSS web page about clusters?
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ers/index.aspx

[Thinkimjob]

Hello, Gracie.
I come from a town with a population of under 70. Three of us have/ had MS. Two of the women lived in the same house, worked in the same shop.
Yes, it is odd.

[Mable]

I sometimes wonder about that too, Gracie. I've lived in two households in which another person had MS. Neither of them were related to me in any way. What are the odds?

[Eliza Doolittle]

I have read quite a bit about MS and I remember reading that if you are of Scottish heritage, you are more likely to get MS. I wish I could remember where I read this....anyway, just thought it was interesting.

I have Scottish blood. ANd MS. Yay me!