Epstein-Barr virus and disease activity in multiple sclerosis (original) (raw)

This study investigates the relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) activity and disease exacerbation in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. A cohort of 73 RR MS patients was followed for approximately 1.7 years, with assessments of plasma levels of anti-EBV antibodies and EBV DNA. Results showed that 48% of patients had serological signs of active EBV replication, but this did not correlate with clinical exacerbations, although an association with increased MRI disease activity was observed. The implications suggest chronic EBV reactivation may influence inflammatory activities in MS, warranting further exploration.