Is there really an association between EBV antibodies and antibody Synthesis

Pfuhl C, Oechtering J, Rasche L, Gieß RM, Behrens JR, Wakonig K, Freitag E, Pache FC, Otto C, Hofmann J, Eberspächer B, Bellmann-Strobl J, Paul F, Ruprecht K. Association of serum Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 antibodies and intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis in early multiple sclerosis. 
J Neuroimmunol. 2015;285:156-60

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. A characteristic feature of MS is an intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulin (Ig)G. In 90 patients with clinically isolated syndromes/early relapsing-remitting MS, serum antibodies to Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1, but not to EBV viral capsid antigen, rubella, or varicella zoster virus, were higher (p=0.03) in those with than those without a calculated intrathecal IgG synthesis >0% and correlated with the percentage (r=0.27, p=0.009) and concentration (r=0.27, p=0.012) of intrathecally produced IgG. These findings suggest a link between EBV infection and the events leading to intrathecal IgG synthesis in patients with MS.

Just looking through the blog and clearing out abstracts that did not make it on the blog and I came across this one. There is a very significant effect but you have to ask is it biologically important association or do you think that bits of the equation is missing. This is what you have to do when you read papers.

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