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Daily Record

Lifestyle

Nicola Roy & Paul Speed

Health experts warn 'common' virus in UK could increase risk of multiple sclerosis

United States Multiple Sclerosis Michael Mosley NHS

A common and widespread virus may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to scientists.

The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), which causes symptoms such as a fever and sore throat, is also known for causing glandular fever. And according to the Multiple Sclerosis Trust, 95 percent of us have already been exposed to it.

You might not have noticed any symptoms, unless you were eventually diagnosed with glandular fever, the Mirror reports.

A spokesperson from the charity explained: ""Having had EBV infection or glandular fever doesn’t mean you will get MS.

"However, modern detection methods show that practically everyone with MS has previously had EBV infection."

Referring to American research, the Trust noted: "Scientists in the US tracked people who gave repeated blood samples over several years, so they could see when they had been infected with EBV.

"They showed that the risk of developing MS was much higher after EBV infection had taken place."

Dr Olivia Thomas, a scientist at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, said: "MS is an incredibly complex disease, but our study provides an important piece in the puzzle and could explain why some people develop the disease.

"We have discovered that antibodies against EBV, which normally fight the infection, can mistakenly target the brain and spinal cord and cause damage."

EBV can cause symptoms such as a sore throat and fever (Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RF)

Blood samples were taken from 700 people with MS and 700 healthy individuals.

Scientist discovered that antibodies that bind to an EBV protein, EBNA1, can also attach to a similar protein in the brain and spinal cord called CRYAB - known as a 'protein coding' gene.

And because of this, the scientists think the misdirected antibodies may damage the nervous system causing severe symptoms in MS patients.

Co-author Mattias Bronge, an affiliated researcher at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, added: "We are now expanding our research to investigate how T-cells fight EBV infection. And how these immune cells may damage the nervous system in multiple sclerosis and contribute to disease progression."

The research paper was published in the journal Science Advances.

What is multiple sclerosis?

The NHS describes multiple sclerosis as a lifelong condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord.

It can cause an array of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.

MS is one of the most common causes of disability in younger adults, and can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild.

In many cases, the symptoms can be treated, although the average life expectancy is slightly reduced for people with the condition.

People most often are diagnosed in their 20s, 30s and 40s, but it can strike for any age group, and is around two to three times more common in women than men.