Guest guest Posted September 22, 2003 Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 EBV is one of the family of herpes viruses. It is the cause of mononucleosis, which has symptoms similar to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In some people with weakened immune systems, it causes cancers, for instance b-cells lymphomas. Less well-known is the fact that EBV is associated with up to 50% of breast cancers, also head and neck cancers, some Hodgkin's Disease, as well as other cancers. There are several other viruses in the herpes family, including Herpes I which causes cold sores, Herpes II which causes genital herpes, and the herpes virus which causes Kaposi's sarcoma which is often found in AIDS. I have seen discussion of other herpes virus that might be involved in MS. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of those. Another is Furst disease, which is a usually inconsequential disease acquired during early childhood. Both are herpes viruses, and like all herpes viruses, seem to be able to hide from the immune system. I have been doing a lot of reading about EBV because my tumor tissue tested positive for the virus--and I have a brother with MS. Maybe there is a genetic susceptability to EBV. Several months ago I was told by a researcher at the Harvard Medical School of Public Health that they are actively investigating the possible link between MS and EBV as well as between lymphoma and EBV. It is curious that b-cell lymphoma also seems to have autoimmune features. In b-cell lymphoma, EBV causes the B-cells of the immune system to proliferate, and it uses a trick to hide from the T-cells which would otherwise destroy the infected cell. I wonder if this doesn't parallel what is going on with MS?? Just a thought. -- S. Message: 13 Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2003 12:51:39 -0400 From: <capp3735@...> Subject: Re: Re: Re: [spotlight_ldn] Check out Could Elevated EBV Antibodies Herald MS? > , EBV is Epstein Barr Virus which is common with MS. I haven't done a whole lot of research on it but it basically is like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. All of these also seem to have links to Herpes virus. Margie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 22, 2003 Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 Except in MS you have T cells which can unfortunately find their target all too easily. It is thought that there is some immune system component which should be killing them that is somehow broken. That they survive too well or too long is the problem. The cells have a hormonal signal which tells them when it is time to die, so macrophages and inflammation are not required. But the ones that are staying around too long are the smart helper memory T cells not the ones that do the actual dirty work of killing off antigens. Those ones just do as they're told. -Sullivan > EBV is one of the family of herpes viruses. It is the cause of > mononucleosis, which has symptoms similar to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. > In some people with weakened immune systems, it causes cancers, for > instance b-cells lymphomas. Less well-known is the fact that EBV is > associated with up to 50% of breast cancers, also head and neck cancers, > some Hodgkin's Disease, as well as other cancers. > > There are several other viruses in the herpes family, including Herpes I > which causes cold sores, Herpes II which causes genital herpes, and the > herpes virus which causes Kaposi's sarcoma which is often found in AIDS. > > I have seen discussion of other herpes virus that might be involved in > MS. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of those. Another is Furst disease, > which is a usually inconsequential disease acquired during early > childhood. Both are herpes viruses, and like all herpes viruses, seem > to be able to hide from the immune system. > > I have been doing a lot of reading about EBV because my tumor tissue > tested positive for the virus--and I have a brother with MS. Maybe > there is a genetic susceptability to EBV. > > Several months ago I was told by a researcher at the Harvard Medical > School of Public Health that they are actively investigating the > possible link between MS and EBV as well as between lymphoma and EBV. > > It is curious that b-cell lymphoma also seems to have autoimmune > features. In b-cell lymphoma, EBV causes the B-cells of the immune > system to proliferate, and it uses a trick to hide from the T-cells > which would otherwise destroy the infected cell. I wonder if this > doesn't parallel what is going on with MS?? Just a thought. > > -- S. > > Message: 13 > Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2003 12:51:39 -0400 > From: <capp3735@b...> > Subject: Re: Re: Re: [spotlight_ldn] Check out Could Elevated EBV > Antibodies Herald MS? > > > , > > EBV is Epstein Barr Virus which is common with MS. I haven't done a > whole lot of research on it but it > basically is like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. > > All of these also seem to have links to Herpes virus. > > Margie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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