We have just discovered the cause of multiple sclerosis and there are already clinical trials testing a vaccine against it: the mRNA goes for the Epstein-Barr virus

Today, more than 47,000 people in Spain have multiple sclerosis. Is a terrible disease for an infinity of reasons: because it is the immune system itself that attacks the myelin sheath that protects neurons and causes, without this protection, the nerve impulses to progressively decrease and end up fading; because it preys on young adults between 20 and 40 years old (especially women) to the point that it is the most common chronic neurological disease in this age range. But above all, because we have no way to cure it.

And that’s why, when it’s dawn Science magazine published a study With over ten million participants providing the first convincing evidence that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the herpesvirus that causes mononucleosis, is behind the disease, the biomedical world jumped for joy. It is not only a piece to understand the disease, it not only opens new treatment possibilities: is a central element to get a vaccine.

What does the study say?

It has long been hypothesized that infection with the Epstein-Barr virus triggers multiple sclerosis.”, explains the magazine. After all, almost all sufferers are ‘seropositive’ for the virus when they show symptoms.” Which is also not a surprise because Epstein-Barr is one of the most common and affects between 90 and 95% of the world’s adults.

The study was able to conclude something else: have observed a possible cause-effect connection. And it is that the risk of developing sclerosis in individuals who did not have the virus increases 32 times after infection. These figures are already spectacular, especially because, as the authors themselves acknowledge, it is something that “cannot be explained by any known risk factor and they suggest that EBV is the main cause.”

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However, now there are many doubts on the table. As the same researchers write, “Almost all of us are infected with EBV, but only a small fraction develop Multiple Sclerosis”. This invites us to think that there are “other factors, such as susceptibility, [que] are important in the pathogenesis” of the disease and that, as far as we know, “EBV infection is probably necessary, but not sufficient, to trigger the development of sclerosis”.

In search of the vaccine

Anirudh Titzbrnr7py Unsplash

Anirudh

Despite suspicions, Epstein-Barr was considered a not too problematic virus. In part because it is not usually very aggressive at the population level (although the complications of this virus include meningitis, encephalitis or Guillain-Barré syndrome; these are usually very common); partly because it is so widespread that it is almost standardized. That is, as on so many other occasions, there was no medical urgency to develop the vaccine.

If mRNA vaccines are successful, we will be facing one of the great milestones in the history of science

Nevertheless, Laboratories such as Moderna have been working on a. In fact, just a few days ago Phase I of the study in humans began. When we said that mRNA technology could change everything, we were not exaggerating: its possibilities are enormous.

However, we must not be misled. Due to its clinical characteristics, adjusting the vaccine for sclerosis is going to be long and complex. But the fact that we have the technology ready to start working on it now is really impressive news. Meanwhile, it remains continue to investigate the consequences of this study and get better treatments to end the disease.

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Reference-www.xataka.com