Washington-Sana
A new study conducted by American researchers reported that multiple sclerosis likely results from the Epstein-Barr virus, which is the first time that the causes of this disease have been identified.
The study, published this week in the American journal Science, showed that the presence of the virus is a necessary condition for infection with multiple sclerosis, but not all people who carry the virus develop this disease.
"This study is the first to provide convincing evidence of a causal relationship," study author and professor of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health Alberto Acchirio said in a statement. Stopping Epstein Barr Virus Infection.
The study was conducted by following more than ten million recruits in the US Army over a 20-year period, 955 of whom developed multiple sclerosis during their service.
The research showed that the risk of developing multiple sclerosis was 32 times higher in the case of infection with the Epstein-Barr virus, while there was no increase in the risk after infection with other viruses.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord, and causes a defect in the immune system, which attacks myelin, a fatty substance that protects nerve fibers.
About 95 percent of adults are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause other diseases, including mononucleosis.
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