Multiple sclerosis is a complex autoimmune disease caused by damage to the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord leading to demyelination, lesions (scars), and inflammation1, 2, 3. This the damage leads to the interruption of nerve impulses along the axons, causing the many symptoms seen in patients with multiple sclerosis. Although its exact etiology is unknown, current research indicates that multiple sclerosis is a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. It has been established that multiple sclerosis is not hereditary, but research is focusing on genetic influence and susceptibility3. Like many other diseases with genetic components to their etiology, disease risk for multiple sclerosis can be calculated based on genetic scans looking for certain genetic markers or combinations of markers4. Recent studies show that polymorphisms in the interleukin-2 (IL2)/interleukin-2 receptor alpha (IL2RA)1 pathway and the interleukin-7 (IL7)/interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL7RA) pathway 2 are linked to an increased risk and susceptibility of multiple sclerae...