Cure for MS may be on horizon after potential No. 1 culprit discovered

By Tom Campbell via SWNS

A cure for MS could be on the horizon after scientists discovered herpes may be the number one culprit.

The progressive disease is likely caused by one of the most common viruses in the world, known as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), according to a new study.

There is currently no definitive cure for Multiple sclerosis (MS), which affects around 110,000 people in the UK, with 5,200 new cases diagnosed every year.

EBV, which is transmitted through bodily fluids and infects around 95 percent of all adults, has been one of the top suspects for sometime.

But linking the two has proven tricky ​because MS symptoms only appear 10-years after the infection.

But now, scientists at Harvard University have confirmed the herpes virus may be the leading cause of MS.

Author Professor Alberto Ascherio said: "The hypothesis that EBV causes MS has been investigated by our group and others for several years, but this is the first study providing compelling evidence of causality.

"This is a big step because it suggests that most MS cases could be prevented by stopping EBV infection, and that targeting EBV could lead to the discovery of a cure for MS.”

The researchers identified 995 young adults out of more than 10 million who were diagnosed with MS during their period of service in the United States military.

Serum samples - or blood plasma, taken twice a year by the military, were analyzed by the researchers to determine their EBV status.

The risk of MS increased 32-fold after infection with EBV compared to other viruses which had no effect, the researchers found.

A protein and biomarker for nerve degeneration known as NfL only increased in those who had been infected with the virus.

Multiple sclerosis, is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system which attacks neurones in the brain and spinal cord.

The symptoms are unpredictable and can range from physical disabilities like mobility problems to mental health problems, such as depression.

Many people with MS people report feeling an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, making simple tasks a struggle.

In around 1 in 4 cases, the first noticeable symptom is a problem with one of the patient's eyes, including color blindness and double vision.

Their findings, published in the journal Science, cannot be explained by any other known risk factors for MS and suggest EBV may therefore be the leading cause.

Professor Ascherio said: "Currently there is no way to effectively prevent or treat EBV infection, but an EBV vaccine or targeting the virus with EBV-specific antiviral drugs could ultimately prevent or cure MS."