Does Mono (Epstein-Barr Virus) Cause Multiple Sclerosis?

Question: Does Mono (Epstein-Barr Virus) Cause Multiple Sclerosis?

When I posted this blog about the Epstein-Barr virus (the virus that causes mono) and multiple sclerosis, well over 100 people with multiple sclerosis responded. The vast majority of these people reported having had a severe case of mono and then developing multiple sclerosis a decade or more later. So, does this mean that multiple sclerosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus?

Answer: Of course, no one knows the answer to this question. It seems beyond coincidence that so many people with multiple sclerosis have also had mono (a.k.a. mononucleosis or "glandular fever"). While most people would test positive for Epstein-Barr antibodies, indicating a past exposure, not everybody had a case of mono severe enough to get diagnosed.

It seems reasonable to think that a viral infection could somehow alter the cells in the immune system to attack the myelin and cause all the problems associated with multiple sclerosis. That said, this theory is far from proven.

I don’t know (and neither does anyone else) what exactly causes MS, but am pretty sure that there is not one single thing that directly causes MS. Instead, MS is the result of a combination of things - genetic vulnerability, vitamin D deficiency (maybe caused by faulty metabolism or insufficient sun exposure), and probably exposure to some infection or another (this is where the mono comes in). Not everyone who has one - or even all - of these factors is going to get MS, but in some instances the right (or wrong) combination happens at just the right time and the result is multiple sclerosis.

Think of it this way (forgive me if this is a little simplistic) - there are multiple causes for a flat tire (a nail or big piece of glass gets run over, your tire gets old and wears out, you hit a really big bump, etc.). Often it is a combination of more than one of these factors that leads to a flat tire. Once you have a flat tire, you have the same problem as everyone else with a flat tire, regardless of the reason. The solution is the same too - fix the hole and put more air in.

Multiple sclerosis is similar to our flat tire. Everyone with multiple sclerosis faces a similar problem - their body is producing immune cells that attack the myelin sheath surrounding their nerve cells. The cause of the problem may be different (and incredibly complex) but once the body begins producing these rogue immune cells, the solutions may converge (depending, of course, on what type of MS you have).

Of course, this analogy is by no means perfect, but I hope you get a bit of the idea about all the debate over "the cause of multiple sclerosis." Once you have it, the real question is what can be done to slow or stop the damage caused by these nasty immune cells that your body is producing, and how to manage the nasty MS symptoms that the process is causing.