Research in genetics and ethnic background may uncover the unknown causes of MS.
MS is thought to affect more than 2.3 million people worldwide. While the disease is not contagious or directly inherited, epidemiologists have identified factors in the distribution of MS around the world that may eventually help determine what causes the disease. These factors include gender, genetics, age, geography and ethnic background. Research has demonstrated that MS is most common amongst Caucasians, however susceptibility rates are highest in African Americans.
