New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS): A Covid-19 infection does not worsen symptoms or disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) and is caused by an autoimmune attack on the body's healthy cells.

Researchers from the University of Texas’s Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas conducted the study on 2,132 adults with MS with an average age of 65. They were followed over 18 months.

While infections are known to cause disability among people with MS, the results published in the online issue of the Neurology journal, showed that “for Covid-19 infections specifically, this was not true”.

“This is good news for people with MS, that they do not need to worry about long-term worsening of their MS symptoms after a Covid-19 infection,” said Amber Salter, from the varsity, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

In the study, a total of 796 people reported having a Covid infection, and 1,336 people reported never having Covid.

During the study, participants also reported the severity of their MS symptoms and were asked about walking, hand function, bodily pain, fatigue, memory, and thinking.

Participants also reported their level of disability based on how their condition affects daily activities like walking or standing.

The findings showed that for people with and without Covid, MS symptom severity increased nominally by 0.02 points per month.

No difference was found in MS symptom severity as well as in disability between people with and without Covid.

“Our study indicates that Covid-19 infection was not associated with immediate changes in symptom severity or disability, nor did it change the MS symptoms or disability trajectory for more than a year and a half after the infection,” said Salter.

She, however, noted that the results may differ for younger people.