"On its own, Epstein-Barr virus is a fairly widespread illness that leaves infected people with a mild set of symptoms. Where things get more severe is when you factor in the virus's propensity for leaving some people who've had it with a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer. That isn't the only ailment that Epstein-Barr has a connection to, however. According to a paper published in Science Translational Medicine this month, it also has a confirmed link to lupus."
"One of the study's authors, William Robinson, MD, PhD, called it "the single most impactful finding to emerge from my lab in my entire career." As Stanford Medicine's Bruce Goldman explained, Dr. Robinson and his colleagues found that the presence of Epstein-Barr virus in the body can cause certain types of immune cells - known as B cells - to overreact and begin triggering other immune cells. The result is an autoimmune condition - lupus - that winds up harming the body."
Epstein-Barr virus infects large portions of the population and usually causes only mild symptoms. The virus is associated with increased risk of certain cancers and has a confirmed link to systemic lupus erythematosus. Epstein-Barr infection can cause B cells to overreact and activate other immune cells, triggering autoimmune responses that damage tissues. This mechanism explains how Epstein-Barr can initiate lupus in some individuals. Most people with dormant Epstein-Barr never develop lupus, indicating additional genetic or environmental factors influence disease emergence. Identifying those factors and the viral-triggered pathways could enable prevention and new therapies for autoimmune conditions.
Read at InsideHook
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