Epstein–Barr virus flare: A multiple sclerosis attack
Authors: Msheik Ali Naser , Al Mokdad Zeinab , Hamed Faten , Assi Farah , Jibbawi Ali , Saad Jean-Pierre , Mohanna Rami , Khoury Anthony , Farhat Mhamad , Atat Rami 
Published: October 2024

Background:

Multiple sclerosis (MS)-Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) relation is similar to doing a complicated puzzle: it consists of many pieces that become more and more clear as the issue is viewed from different sides. Based on the research findings, there is powerful evidence that EBV and MS have a strong relation where high levels of EBV DNA are able to be shown in all the spinal cord and the blood of the MS patients, but these are shown during disease relapses, and this implies a role in these illnesses. It kind of narrows the choices that you have to look for, just like how gathering evidence can lead to finding the missing person. In the analysis, new ways of EBV participation in MS progression are expected to be installed, and even new therapeutics are expected to be made.

Methods:

A comprehensive literature search of PubMed was conducted until November 2023 to identify studies investigating the association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and multiple sclerosis (MS). Only articles that met stringent criteria, including validation of EBV infection through laboratory testing, were included in the analysis.

Results:

A total of 16 articles were identified as applicable for the background review, and this conformed with the discovery that the initiation of EBV/IM was consistent across various studies, namely, retrospective, cross-sectional, or prospective. The statistics reveal a glimpse into the need for prolonged research in studying the pattern of this link between EBV and MS. Novel treatment approaches targeting EBV, including adoptive T-cell therapy and gene-based immunotherapy, show promise in mitigating MS progression by targeting EBV-infected cells.

Conclusion:

Clinical trials investigating antiviral therapies and vaccination strategies are underway, aiming to translate these findings into effective treatments for MS. Despite promising advances, challenges remain in developing EBV-targeted therapies for MS, including safety concerns and the multifactorial nature of MS pathogenesis. Advance treatment options that focus on EBV, such as adoptive T-cell therapy and gene-based immunotherapy, are shown to be effective in the improvement of MS management that targets the viral-infected cell. The clinical trials for antiviral drugs and vaccination tactics are going on to benefit from these findings and eventually to invent effective therapeutics for MS. While these new therapeutic directions may offer great promise, challenges remain in these approaches as safety concerns and complex factors that underlie MS pathology need to be taken care of. The ethical aspects linked to picking the patients and giving informed consent make the progress of EBV-related treatments are even more difficult. Future research is recommended so that the primary mechanisms through which EBV contributes to MS development will be elucidated; in addition, the main MS subtype sources must be addressed. Longitudinal studies and other advanced research technologies will provide hope because they can solve the complicated problems of MS due to viruses and look for new therapeutic targets. The review brings up EBV/IM disease as a vital aspect of MS susceptibility, encouraging research in the field of longitudinal studies. Although we have made advances, we are still far from clear on the labyrinthine pairing between EBV and MS and the development of therapeutic strategies to attack EBV infection in MS patients.