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News
Your body might be sending early warning signals before an MS attack — and a common virus could be the messenger. A new study in Nature Medicine found that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation and broad immune activation appear in the blood weeks to months before a multiple sclerosis relapse. Researchers say EBV-based blood biomarkers could soon complement MRI to catch relapses earlier — and may even point to new, more targeted treatments.
Your body might be sending early warning signals before an MS attack — and a common virus could be the messenger. A new study published in Nature Medicine found that signs of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation, along with broad immune activation, appear in the blood weeks to months before a multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse. The pre-relapse signature was strongest in monocytes and B cells, and notably overlapped with MS genetic risk loci and regulatory elements bound by the EBV protein EBNA-2 — suggesting that viral activity and inherited genetic susceptibility may converge within the same immune pathways.
Researchers analyzed longitudinal blood samples from 114 MS patients and 21 healthy controls, using single-cell RNA sequencing to track immune changes up to 90 days before relapse. Senior author Dr. Tanuja Chitnis of Mass General Brigham estimates an EBV-based clinical biomarker could be ready within 1–2 years.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Most MS treatments work by broadly suppressing the immune system. If EBV-based biomarkers are validated, clinicians could intervene earlier and more precisely — potentially preventing disability before damage occurs.
