Summary

Evidence is mounting that the Epstein-Barr virus contributes to multiple sclerosis, and we’re starting to understand how. A study of more than 600,000 people has revealed that the virus hijacks our immune cells, disrupting the normal functioning of the immune system, and activates genes that increase the risk of multiple sclerosis. The virus – which most people catch at some point in their lives, but few develop complications from – seems to particularly affect a type of immune cell called B-cells, which produce antibodies against infections.

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