The recent discovery by a team of American researchers on the role of the Epstein-Barr virus, which appears to be necessary for the development of the disease, could further accelerate the development of treatments.
The same virus that causes mononucleosis
The disease is very variable from one patient to another but can lead to sequelae, and is one of the frequent causes of disability in young adults.
It is estimated that more than 2.8 million people are affected by this autoimmune disease worldwide (about 110,000 people in France).
The discovery of a link to the Epstein-Barr virus, which affects 95% of adults and causes other diseases such as mononucleosis, suggests that most cases of multiple sclerosis could be prevented by stopping infection with this pathogen.
Towards a vaccine?
In addition to “a better understanding of what may be involved in this multifactorial disease”, the study “suggests that we could prevent multiple sclerosis from breaking out if we vaccinated children against the Epstein- Barr, knowing that we do not have a vaccine for the moment, ”according to Professor Pelletier.