More than 200,000 cancer cases, and resulting 140,000 deaths, are caused by the disease each year Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV) triggered. The glandular fever is also caused by the virus. Recently, the suspicion that it is partly responsible for multiple sclerosis has also been confirmed. And also the cause for ME/CFS – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, due to its Long Covid parallels has received increased attention for some time – is often the Epstein-Barr virus.
Despite these far-reaching health effects that infection with the virus can have, there is currently no therapy to treat it effectively, nor is there an approved vaccine. According to a recent Study which has now been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
“Promising Candidate”
The research team consisted of scientists from various companies and universities in the USA, such as the pharmaceutical company Sanofi and the University of Chicago. It developed a vaccine from nanoparticles. This elicited neutralizing antibodies in mice, ferrets and monkeys, which blocked the infection.
The vaccine is described in the study as a “promising candidate” for the prevention of infection with the Epstein-Barr virus and the cancer caused by it. The vaccine design suggests it can address the current shortage of vaccines against EBV infection. The next step is a clinical study with high-risk patients.
More than 95 percent of all adults are infected
The Epstein-Barr virus was discovered in the 1960s. More than 95 percent of all adults worldwide are infected with it – most since childhood. The virus is mainly transmitted by droplet and smear infection. Transplantations or blood transfusions are less common.
The infection is often asymptomatic and in most cases has no consequences. Like all herpes viruses, the Epstein-Barr virus lies dormant in the body for life, it can be reactivated at any time and cause various diseases.