A study finds the main cause of MS may be contracting an infection of the Epstein-Barr virus. More Details: [ Ссылка ]
The Epstein-Barr virus or EBV may be the main cause of multiple sclerosis.
That in a report at StudyFinds!
Multiple sclerosis or – MS – is an awful and incurable autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the brain and spinal cord and affects close to 3 million people around the world.
Researchers at Harvard say the link has been studied for years and that the EBV is actually a variant of the herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis and establishes a latent, lifelong infection within hosts.
In fact, estimates show that 95% of people carry the EBV.
Multiple sclerosis, meanwhile, is much more rare.
Among people with both, the study finds MS usually develops about a decade after EBV infection.
After analyzing blood from 955 adults who developed MS, results showed the risk of MS increased 32-fold following EBV infection. Risk levels didn’t change at all upon infection with different viruses.
Scientists say there is no way to effectively prevent or treat EBV infections but that an EBV vaccine or targeting the virus with specific antiviral drugs could ultimately prevent or cure MS.
FIND MORE DETAIL ON THIS AND OTHER STUDIES AT STUDYFINDS.COM
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