Study reveals how Epstein-Barr virus triggers immune response in multiple sclerosis

A study published in Science Translational Medicine describes how infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) initiates the immune reactions that lead to inflammation and nerve damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The researchers mapped the viral mechanisms that appear to drive the disease process.

Lead author Kjetil Bjornevik said that understanding these mechanisms opens the door to developing EBV‑targeted vaccines or antiviral drugs that could prevent or manage MS symptoms without the heavy side effects of current immunosuppressants.

Syed Rizvi, director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Rhode Island, who was not involved in the work, noted that the findings push MS research toward more precise therapeutic approaches.