Epstein-Barr Virus and Ms (Multiple Sclerosis) (Clinical Report‪)‬

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disease that cannot be ascribed to a single genetic or environmental factor. (1) There is now overwhelming evidence that MS is determined by strong environmental factors acting at a broad population level. One potential way that the genetic epidemiology can be explained is the action of a ubiquitous infection which almost all the population is exposed to with the disease resulting from host factors. If correct, this hypothesis has important implication for disease prevention; particularly if the infection can be identified; (2) one pivotal factor in a complex web of gene environment interactions may be so critical that if it can be stopped, MS may become a preventable disease. (1) Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is so strongly associated with MS that some investigators are now arguing that this association may be causative. (3-4)