Relationship between vaccinations and multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate recent reports of vaccinations causing or exacerbating multiple sclerosis (MS). DATA SOURCES: Literature was identified through MEDLINE (1966-December 2001). Key search terms included vaccinations, hepatitis B, influenza, tetanus, and multiple sclerosis. DATA SYNTHESIS: Case reports of MS temporally associated with hepatitis B vaccination have prompted some researchers to propose that vaccines may provoke demyelinating diseases. Recently, studies have been performed to determine whether vaccinations are capable of causing or exacerbating MS symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Recent studies reaffirm that vaccinations do not increase the risk of symptom exacerbation in patients with MS or constitute a causative agent in the disease.