Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Multiple sclerosis in research workers studying swayback in lambs: an updated report.
- Journal:
- Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
- Year:
- 1985
- Authors:
- Dean, G et al.
Plain-English summary
In a study about swayback disease, which affects lambs' nervous systems, four out of seven researchers developed symptoms of multiple sclerosis, a serious condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. Over the years, all seven researchers have passed away, and two of them were found to have damage in their brains and spinal cords when examined after death. The likelihood of this many people in a random group developing multiple sclerosis is extremely low, about one in a billion. Interestingly, no other researchers studying swayback disease in different locations have reported similar cases. This suggests that there may be a unique risk associated with this specific group of researchers.
Abstract
Four out of seven research workers into swayback disease, a neurological disease of lambs, developed symptoms and signs of multiple sclerosis, and were reported in 1947. A further worker later joined the group. All of the original seven have died and two at necropsy had multiple areas of demyelination in the brain and spinal cord. The chance of four or more out of a random group of eight men developing multiple sclerosis is about one in a thousand million. Multiple sclerosis has not occurred in other workers on swayback disease elsewhere.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4045479/