EBV as the cause of MS…but that means everyone with MS has to be infected with EBV…one negative and “the” cause has to change to “a” cause. In most studies with children, the rate of EBV positivitiy seldom reached 100% but not in this study. 100% in MS, 59% in controls, 70% with headache…..so not all autoimmune individuals had EBV infection evidence so what is the mechanism mine is now less clear
Monte G, Tiralongo G, Papetti L, Ferilli MAN, Proietti Checchi M, Voci A, Ruscitto C, Salvetti M, Bellucci G, Valeriani M. Complete Epstein-Barr virus seropositivity in a cohort of pediatric onset multiple sclerosis: a comparison to other autoimmune diseases. J Neurol. 2025 ;272(11):735.
Introduction: The role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis is supported by the increased MS risk after infectious mononucleosis. This study aimed to evaluate EBV infection in our pediatric-onset MS (POMS) cohort.
Methods: MS patients with disease onset < 18 years of age seen at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital were included. We searched for anti-EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG and IgM. For comparison, we analyzed the EBV infection seroprevalence in an age- and sex-matched control cohorts of immunologically-healthy children and subjects with non-neurological autoimmune diseases.
Results: Fifty-seven POMS were included; all had a previous EBV infection. The controls’ cohort included one-hundred and sixty-two patients with a median age of 12 years (range 6-17), encompassing two subgroups: non-autoimmune (i.e. primary headaches) and autoimmune controls, namely inflammatory bowel disease and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. In the control group, ninety-six (59%) were EBV seropositive. EBV seropositivity was significantly higher in POMS than in the controls’ cohort (OR = 79.2, 95% C.I. 4.8-1305), and compared to autoimmune and non-autoimmune controls separately (p < 0.0001).
Discussion: In our POMS cohort, EBV seropositivity was 100%, higher than previously reported. Our results support a disease-specific role of EBV in the MS development compared to other pediatric autoimmune disorders, consistent with evidence reported in adult-onset MS.
Source: multiple-sclerosis-research.org