Epstein Barr Virus

Epstein-Barr virus, frequently referred to as EBV, is a member of the herpesvirus family and one of the most common human viruses. The virus occurs worldwide, and most people become infected with EBV sometime during their lives.

Multiple Sclerosis and the Epstein Barr Virus

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a herpes virus otherwise known of as human herpesvirus 4 (HHV-4). It is most well known for causing glandular fever but research shows that EBV infection is also linked to an increased risk for various autoimmune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis and multiple sclerosis.

What is the Epstein-Barr Virus?

Air pollution linked to head and neck cancer risk

Increased PM2.5 levels are linked to higher head and neck cancer risk, particularly in disadvantaged communities, highlighting urgent public health measures.

15 Nov 2024

VANCE trial marks milestone in t cell therapy for solid tumors

The largest ever clinical trial of T cell therapy for solid tumors has ended, heralding a new era for precision T cell therapy.

11 Nov 2024

Elevated antibody responses to Epstein-Barr virus linked to increased risk of multiple sclerosis

Researchers identified a unique antibody signature against the Epstein-Barr virus protein EBNA1 that correlates with cross-reactive immune responses in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This connection provides new insights into how EBV infection may drive MS pathogenesis.

5 Nov 2024

Houston Methodist researchers join national consortium to develop herpesvirus vaccine

Houston Methodist researchers will be part of a national consortium funded by an up to $49 million award from the U.S. Government's Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a vaccine against two of the most common and destructive strains of herpesviruses that latently infect a majority of Americans and can lead to acute infections, multiple forms of cancer, autoimmune disease and birth defects.

3 Oct 2024

Exploring the distinct characteristics of Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma

This review offers an in-depth exploration of Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma (NLPHL), highlighting its distinct characteristics across various domains such as epidemiology, clinical presentation, histopathology, immunophenotype, genetic findings, and challenges in differential diagnosis.

13 Aug 2024

Long-term immune changes persist in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients

Study reveals that unvaccinated individuals experience significant long-term changes in immune parameters up to ten months post-COVID-19 infection, with a shift towards a Th2 cytokine profile.

21 Jul 2024

Study identifies RFC4 as key player in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Lichuan Wu et al., at Medical College of Guangxi University, China, presented a comprehensive study on the role of replication factor C subunit 4 (RFC4) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a type of epithelial cancer commonly associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

12 Jul 2024

Study: 40% of cancer cases in the U.S. attributable to modifiable risk factors

A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) finds four in 10 cancer cases and about one-half of all cancer deaths in adults 30 years old and older in the United States (or 713,340 cancer cases and 262,120 cancer deaths in 2019) could be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet, and infections.

11 Jul 2024

How Epstein-Barr virus shapes immune responses in multiple sclerosis

Study found that EBV-specific immune responses in MS patients showed higher IgG titers and cell-mediated reactions to EBV antigens compared to healthy controls, suggesting a complex role of EBV in MS development.

9 Jun 2024

Does diet influence the onset of multiple sclerosis?

A recent study using the UK Biobank data indicates that a healthy diet, including moderate fatty fish and alcohol consumption, can reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) onset.

5 Jun 2024

Understanding the link between EBV-infected B cells and multiple sclerosis

The Wistar Institute's Paul M. Lieberman, Ph.D., and lab team led by senior staff scientist and first author, Samantha Soldan, Ph.D., have demonstrated how B cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can contribute to a pathogenic, inflammatory phenotype that contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS); the group has also shown how these problematic B cells can be selectively targeted in a way that reduces the damaging autoimmune response of multiple sclerosis.

28 May 2024

Targeting metabolic pathways to combat Epstein-Barr virus infections

The Epstein-Barr virus can cause a spectrum of diseases, including a range of cancers.

24 May 2024

Bats in China found to carry novel herpesviruses, hinting at cross-species transmission dangers

Researchers in Wuhan, China, have identified new strains ofβ and γ-herpesviruses in bats. These findings reveal potential cross-species transmission risks and emphasize the need for vigilant monitoring of bat populations to prevent zoonotic diseases.

13 May 2024

MS Australia urges government action on neurological research funding

MS Australia has welcomed the Government's pledge to invest in health and medical research but is concerned that not enough attention or funding is being dedicated to neurological research.

8 May 2024

Blood test may predict MS development, UCSF research reveals

In a discovery that could hasten treatment for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), UC San Francisco scientists have discovered a harbinger in the blood of some people who later went on to develop the disease.

22 Apr 2024

NIH study uncovers vulnerable sites on Epstein-Barr virus protein

Studies of interactions between two lab-generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and an essential Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein have uncovered targets that could be exploited in designing treatments and vaccines for this extremely common virus.

12 Mar 2024

Understanding long COVID: A call for better diagnosis and treatment

A recent review in Nature Reviews Microbiology summarizes the complex mechanisms, significant impacts, and the urgent need for enhanced diagnostics and treatments for long COVID, affecting over 65 million people globally with diverse, debilitating symptoms and systemic health issues.

7 Mar 2024

Combination therapy shows promise in targeting latent HIV reservoirs

Antiretroviral therapies (ART) stop HIV replication in its tracks, allowing people with HIV to live relatively normal lives.

15 Feb 2024

CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool repairs defective T cells to treat rare hereditary disease

Some hereditary genetic defects cause an exaggerated immune response that can be fatal. Using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, such defects can be corrected, thus normalizing the immune response, as researchers led by Klaus Rajewsky from the Max Delbrück Center now report in "Science Immunology."

2 Feb 2024