A future mono vaccine may have a shot at defeating multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests

A future mono vaccine may have a shot at defeating multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests

Scientists have found the strongest evidence to date that an infection from the Epstein-Barr virus could significantly increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease, new research suggests. "Our data strongly suggest EBV is the leading cause of MS," Dr. Kjetil Bjornevik, a research scientist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and lead author of the study, which was , . The findings offer hope that a vaccine or early treatment of the virus could one day help prevent multiple sclerosis, Alberto Ascherio, an author of the study and epidemiology professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Insider. But experts unaffiliated with the study say there's still uncertainty about whether the virus causes MS. Multiple sclerosis, a progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, is caused by inflammation that attacks myelin, the fatty tissue surrounding the nerves, . In 2020, there were living with multiple sclerosis worldwide. When myelin degrades, it's more difficult for the nerves to send messages to the brain, causing blurred vision, weak limbs, tingling sensations, unsteadiness, and fatigue, . In advanced cases, patients can have muscle weakness in their arms and legs, . To determine the