New Zealand has become the first country in the world to fully research the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) over an entire country. A jointly funded report by the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Health Research Council, released today, says that close to 3000 people have been clinically identified as having MS (or 71.9 per 100,000 people), with a further 1200 potentially with the condition.

The $500,000 report, which took nearly two years to compile, shows that the prevalence of MS is significantly related to regions of the country -- increasing from 50.8 people per 100,000 in Northland to 134.6 people per 100,000 in Southland.

Worldwide, MS becomes more common the further away from the equator you are..................................

For the full article please go to MSRC: All About MS : The Geography Of Multiple Sclerosis - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=show&pageid=2325