Re: REVIEW - Epstein-Barr virus and RA: is there a link?

[Guest guest]

Wow ,

Thanks for all the info!

Of Course, just makes me more curious but it is great to see.

KD

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> Arthritis Res Ther. 2006; 8(1): 204.

> Published online 2006 January 16. doi: 10.1186/ar1893. PMCID: PMC1526553

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> Epstein–Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis: is there a link?

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> H Costenbader1 and W Karlson1

> 1Brigham and Women's Hospital, Division of Rheumatology, Immunology

> and Allergy, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 75

> Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA

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> Abstract

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> Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by

> chronic, destructive, debilitating arthritis. Its etiology is unknown;

> it is presumed that environmental factors trigger development in the

> genetically predisposed. Epstein–Barr virus, a nearly ubiquitous virus

> in the human population, has generated great interest as a potential

> trigger. This virus stimulates polyclonal lymphocyte expansion and

> persists within B lymphocytes for the host's life, inhibited from

> reactivating by the immune response. In latent and replicating forms,

> it has immunomodulating actions that could play a role in the

> development of this autoimmune disease. The evidence linking

> Epstein–Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis is reviewed.

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> Read the full article here:

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http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed & pubmedid=1654246\

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> Not an MD

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