Wiltshire Hampshire and Islands Region

In 2006 the regional committee for the Wiltshire Hampshire and Islands region of the MS Society undertook a survey into the prevalence of MS in the region. The method employed was to send enquiry letters to all GP practices in the region asking for numbers of people with MS, their age range and the total number of patients in the practice. Although the results of the survey have been presented at a conference and have been informally circulated they have to date not been publicly available. To correct this omission they are now available here to be downloaded.

The following documents are available:

• RSPub Sample Enquiry Letter (783 kb) . A sample of the letter that was sent to all GP practices and details the information requested.
• RSPub Presentation slides (4306 kb) . A copy of the slides of Mike Bray's presentation of the survey results at the Evolving Services Conference held in July 2006.
• RSPub Essay on Survey (67 kb) . An essay written by Mike Bray on the background to and conduct of the survey.

The detailed results of the survey are available as a series of prints from the spreadsheet used to capture the data received from practices. There is a summary sheet showing the accumulated numbers across all PCTs and individual sheets for each of the 13 PCTs in the survey.

• RSPub Summary of all PCTs (46 kb)
• RSPub Blackwater Valley & Hart PCT (55 kb)
• RSPub East Hampshire PCT (55 kb)
• RSPub Eastleigh & Test Valley PCT (54 kb)
• RSPub Fareham & Gosport PCT (54 kb)
• RSPub Isle of Wight PCT (53 kb)
• RSPub Kennet & North Wiltshire PCT (52 kb)
• RSPub Midhampshire PCT (55 kb)
• RSPub North Hampshire PCT (56 kb)
• RSPub Portsmouth City PCT (56 kb)
• RSPub South Wiltshire PCT (55 kb)
• RSPub Southampton City PCT (56 kb)
• RSPub Swindon PCT (57 kb)
• RSPub West Wiltshire PCT (53 kb)

Do you have MS and are of Maltese origin?

A recent study published in the medical journal Neurology (January 2008) has shown that prevalence of MS in Malta is extremely low compared to neighbouring Sicily. Whilst genes undoubtedly play a role in the low levels of MS in Malta, it is likely that the environment has a significant effect on whether people go on to develop MS.

The author of the study (Dr. Geoffrey Dean) is interested to find out if UK born children of Maltese immigrants to the UK have a higher incidence of MS, unlike their parents born in Malta. If this is the case, it will increase the evidence for the importance of exposure to the local environment (i.e. in this case migration to the UK) as a risk of developing MS.

How can you help this important research? Dr. Dean is requesting your help if:

• You have been diagnosed with MS and are of Maltese origin (either Maltese born or born in the UK)
  
• If you aware of anyone of Maltese origin with MS (either Maltese born or born in the UK) to please pass on this information

Dr. Dean writes: "I would be grateful for your assistance in this research by contacting me, in confidence, if you fulfil the above criteria."

Geoffrey Dean, CBE, MD, FRCP, FFCM
C/O The Health Research Board
73 Lower Baggot Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

Email: The Health Research Board and mark for the attention of Dr. Geoffrey Dean.

For further background information you can contact Dr. Lee Dunster, Head of Research and Information at the MS Society on:

Telephone: 020 8438 0956
Email: Lee Dunster

Sense about Science, a charitable trust based in London, has published a pamphlet detailing how its irked members had telephoned numerous companies to ask how their products actually worked. See article in New Scientist October 16th.

A class of anti-cancer drug might offer a way of tackling autoimmune diseases triggered when the immune system attacks the body's own cells. See article in New Scientist October 16th.

Initial trials in Canada of a 'DNA Vaccine' have shown promise in the treatment of MS. More information is available via the following links:

• MS Society news

• Eflux Media On-line Newspaper

• CTV (Canadian News Channel)

In case you have not already seen this on the main MS Society website click on Risk Genes Discovered.

See the MSS Main Website News Page for more details. If you missed the programme or cannot receive the Community channel, it can be viewed on line for a time on the Community Channel's What Can Science Do For Me webpage. In addition, some branches have recordings of the programme which may be available for loan. If you are interested in borrowing a copy but have trouble locating one, use the 'contact us' facility on the region's home page.