Multiple Sclerosis in a Patient With Prior West Nile Encephalitis.

Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by an inflammatory demyelination of the central nervous system. The degenerative disease has been linked to numerous viral infections, geographical locations, and genetic predisposition. One link that has not been fully established is the relationship between West Nile virus infection and its role in the initiation of multiple sclerosis. This case study provides further evidence that the proinflammatory neurological processes induced by the West Nile virus may lead to systemic demyelination of neuronal axons, ultimately causing multiple sclerosis.