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Study: More evidence links a virus to multiple sclerosis
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They tracked blood samples stored from more than 10 million people in the U.S. military and found the risk of MS increased 32-fold following Epstein-Barr infection.
The military regularly administers blood tests to its members and the researchers checked samples stored from 1993 to 2013, hunting antibodies signaling viral infection.
Just 5.3% of recruits showed no sign of Epstein-Barr when they joined the military. The researchers compared 801 MS cases subsequently diagnosed over the 20-year period with 1,566 service members who never got MS.
Only one of the MS patients had no evidence of the Epstein-Barr virus prior to diagnosis. And despite intensive searching, the researchers found no evidence that other viral infections played a role.
The findings “strongly suggest” that Epstein-Barr infection is “a cause and not a consequence of MS,” study author Dr. Alberto Ascherio of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and colleagues reported in the journal Science.
It’s clearly not the only factor, considering that about 90% of adults have antibodies showing they’ve had Epstein-Barr – while nearly 1 million people in the U.S. are living with MS, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The virus appears to be “the initial trigger,” Drs. William H. Robinson and Lawrence Steinman of Stanford University wrote in an editorial accompanying Thursday’s study. But they cautioned, “additional fuses must be ignited,” such as genes that may make people more vulnerable.
Epstein-Barr is best known for causing “mono,” or infectious mononucleosis, in teens and young adults but often occurs with no symptoms. A virus that remains inactive in the body after initial infection, it also has been linked to later development of some autoimmune diseases and rare cancers.
It’s not clear why. Among the possibilities is what’s called “molecular mimicry,” meaning viral proteins may look so similar to some nervous system proteins that it induces the mistaken immune attack.
Regardless, the new study is “the strongest evidence to date that Epstein-Barr contributes to cause MS,” said Mark Allegretta, vice president for research at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
And that, he added, “opens the door to potentially prevent MS by preventing Epstein-Barr infection.”
Attempts are underway to develop Epstein-Barr vaccines including a small study just started by Moderna Inc., best known for its COVID-19 vaccine.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Could the ‘Mono’ Virus Help Trigger Multiple Sclerosis?
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It all hints that something about the immune response to EBV infection can, in certain people, prompt the development of MS.
But proving the virus is a cause of MS, and not just a bystander, has been challenging. That’s partly because nearly everyone is infected with EBV, while MS is relatively rare.
It takes a massive and long-term study to identify people who are initially EBV-negative, then see whether a new EBV infection raises their risk of subsequently developing MS.
The new study, published in the journal Science, did just that.
“This is the strongest evidence we have to date that EBV contributes to MS,” said Mark Allegretta, vice president of research for the nonprofit National MS Society.
Allegretta, who was not involved in the study, said the virus is likely “necessary, but not sufficient” to cause MS. That is, it conspires with other factors that make people more vulnerable to developing MS.
At this point, studies have identified some other factors linked to higher MS risk, said study senior author Dr. Alberto Ascherio.
Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis and if the disease is linked to glandular fever explained
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Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord (Photo: Shutterstock)
Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord.
But is it caused by glandular fever and what is the Epstein Barr virus?
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Here’s what you need to know.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.
The condition is lifelong and can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild.
In many cases, it’s possible to treat symptoms.
What causes it?
MS is an autoimmune condition, which is when something goes wrong with the immune system and it mistakenly attacks a healthy part of the body.
In MS the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain or spinal cord of the nervous system, attacking the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves called the myelin sheath.
This then damages and scars the sheath, and potentially the underlying nerves, which means that messages travelling along the nerves become slowed or disrupted.
According to the NHS, exactly what causes the immune system to act in this way is unclear, but “most experts think a combination of genetic and environmental factors is involved”.
What are the symptoms of MS?
Some of the most common symptoms of MS include:
fatigue
vision problems
numbness and tingling
muscle spasms, stiffness and weakness
mobility problems
pain
problems with thinking, learning and planning
depression and anxiety
sexual problems
bladder problems
bowel problems
speech and swallowing difficulties
What is the Epstein-Barr virus and can glandular fever cause MS?
A huge study of US military personnel suggests almost all cases of multiple sclerosis are triggered by the common Epstein-Barr virus.
A study of 10 million military personnel in the US has shown that almost every case of MS is preceded by infection with the virus, with the findings suggesting a vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus could greatly reduce the incidence of MS.
Alberto Ascherio at Harvard University said: “This is really a turning point. It should lead to better ways to treat MS as well as help to prevent it.”
The Epstein-Barr virus is a virus that spreads mainly via saliva, such as kissing or drinking from the same glass.
It is the cause of mononucleosis, also known as glandular fever.
Initial infections with the Epstein-Barr virus may cause little to no symptoms, but once the virus gets into immune cells called B cells, it lurks in them permanently, according to New Scientist.
Glandular fever is a type of viral infection that mostly affects young adults, with common symptoms including:
a high temperature (fever)
a severely sore throat
swollen glands in the neck
fatigue (extreme tiredness)
Most people get better with no problems, but sometimes glandular fever may lead to other problems like:
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