TB Vaccine May Help Prevent MS

A vaccine used to prevent tuberculosis might also help people at high risk of developing multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests. Multiple sclerosis (MS) occurs when the immune system attacks the sheath that surrounds the body’s nerve cells. Some people first are diagnosed with “clinically isolated syndrome.” Symptoms include numbing and problems with vision, hearing and balance. About half of those with this syndrome will develop MS within 2 years. The new study included 73 people with this syndrome. They were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group received injections of a vaccine against tuberculosis that contained live but weakened bacteria. The other group received placebo (fake) injections. In the next 6 months, brain scans showed an average of 8 lesions (possible signs of MS) in those who got the placebo and 3 lesions in those who got the vaccine.