Is MS an autoimmune disease?

[lukeduke]

Well as many have said. The current belief is that MS is an autoimmune disease. My Neuro said when I was first diagnosed that people with MS tend to not get as many colds. He says that the immune system is "hyped up" for people with MS and they tend to not get as many colds and things of that nature.

[Cat Mom]

I'm on COpaxone, which acts as a "myelin decoy" in our blood, when the immune system is looking for something to attack, it attacks the decoy rather than the myelin.

I don't think this, or my MS, has contributed to not getting sick despite not getting flu shots, having 6 germy kids, living in a Country where we're "boxed in" with everyone's germs for at least half the year, etc. Either I'm very lucky or my constant hand washing is paying off!

[ladibabe]

I'm around it often.. Just last month my husband and kids had a bad cold. I didn't get sick, so I think at least for me its a valid observation. I have had very little viruses and have children that bring something home from school from time to time.

[Westgrl]

BigA - I posted the blurb that the Lancet posted for the study but you have to pay for the entire study. I looked all over to see if I could find a free copy but couldn't find any.

So I can only go by the what they posted regarding what the study was & what the outcome was.