Some Facts About MS

• There are approximately 15,000 to 22,000 people with MS in Australia; and an estimated 2,500,000 people in the world.
• MS is more common in women than men at an approximate ratio of 3:1.
• MS appears more frequently in people of Caucasian background than in
  people of other ethnic groups. It is less common among the Asian
  population and virtually unknown among Aborigines, Maoris and the native people of Africa.
• MS is also more common in temperate areas away from the equator, such as Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales and less common in warmer climates such as Queensland. The incidence of MS is six times higher in Tasmania than in Queensland.
• It is thought that the cause of MS is multifactorial and may include factors which are environmental (eg exposure to a virus) and a genetic susceptibility.