Epstein-Barr virus or
EBV infects the majority of the adult population and results in a latent or dormant infection.
Typically,
EBV lives in B cells, a type of immune cell found in the blood and lymph tissue, or in cells of the salivary glands.
There is some evidence that
EBV reactivation within the body may be triggering MS relapses and disease activity on MRI. Therefore if we can treat MS'ers with a drug that targets EBV we may be able to suppress MS disease activity.
"We are in the process of preparing a grant application to the Medical Research Council to test an anti-viral drug that targets EBV in MS. This study will have to be a placebo-controlled trial. Would you be interested in participating?"