Epstein-Barr virus appears to be trigger of lupus disease, say scientists

"A common childhood virus appears to be the trigger for the autoimmune disease lupus, according to groundbreaking research. The study suggests that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which for most people is harmless, can cause immune cells to go rogue and mistakenly attack the body's own tissues. The team behind the work said that uncovering the cause of lupus could revolutionise treatments. We think it applies to 100% of lupus cases, said Prof William Robinson, a professor of immunology and rheumatology at Stanford University"

"I think it really sets the stage for a new generation of therapies that could fundamentally treat and thereby provide benefit to lupus patients. Lupus, which affects about 69,000 people in the UK, is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system creates antibodies that attack the body's own tissues. The causes have not been well understood and there is no known cure for the condition, which can cause joint and muscle pain, extreme tiredness and skin rashes."

"Epidemiological surveys have previously hinted at a link between EBV and lupus, an idea that has gained traction after a recent breakthrough proving the link between EBV and multiple sclerosis, another autoimmune disorder. The latest work helps uncover, at a cellular level, how EBV appears to cause lupus by sending the immune system into a tailspin. This study resolves a decades-old mystery, said Shady Younis, an immunologist at Stanford and first author of the paper."

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can trigger lupus by causing immune cells to become autoreactive and attack the body’s tissues. Identifying EBV as the trigger opens the possibility of therapies that target the underlying cause rather than just symptoms. Lupus affects tens of thousands in the UK and causes joint and muscle pain, extreme tiredness, and skin rashes. Causes were previously unclear and no cure exists. Epidemiological links between EBV and lupus mirror a proven EBV connection to multiple sclerosis. EBV commonly infects about 19 of 20 people and deposits genetic material into host DNA, remaining dormant in cells.

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