written in 2024
Getting the flu may increase your risk of relapse with multiple sclerosis (MS). Some preventive steps, such as getting vaccinated and avoiding crowds during flu season, may help.
The flu can be especially dangerous when you live with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Infections, including the flu, may potentially increase the risk of MS relapse. But it’s important to get a flu shot that won’t interfere with your current treatment plan.
Read on to learn how the flu may cause relapse in people with MS and how to protect yourself.
What are the risks of getting the flu for people with MS?
People with chronic conditions generally have a greater riskTrusted Source of getting the flu and of experiencing severe illness and other complications if they become sick.
Additionally, some medications for MS can suppress your immune system, putting you at higher risk for infection and serious complications from the flu.
A compromised immune system can be less effectiveTrusted Source at responding to infections, increasing the likelihood that you’ll get sick and have a more severe course of illness.
Can the flu cause MS relapse?
Upper respiratory infections, including the flu and SARS-CoV-2, may increaseTrusted Source the risk of MS relapses and pseudoexasperations. But more studies are still needed in this area.
Research in animals suggests that respiratory infections may encourage the movement of immune cells into the central nervous system, which in turn may trigger an MS relapse.
In a 2017 study, scientists injected the influenza A virus into mice that were genetically prone to autoimmune disease. They found that about 29% of the mice that received the virus developed clinical signs of relapse within 2 weeks of the infection.
The researchers also monitored immune cell activity in the mice, noting increased activity in the central nervous system. They suggest that the viral infection triggered this change, which may be the underlying reason that infections worsen MS.