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GM .Was anyone DX with Epstein Barr virus(mono) in their life b4 you were DX with MS?I was dx at 10 yrs old & wondering if this caused my MS

A MyMSTeam Member asked a question 💭
South River, NJ
February 20
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A MyMSTeam Member

This question was asked a while back form @A MyMSTeam Member.

February 20
MyMSTeam

Were you diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus (mono) before your MS diagnosis, and could it have caused your MS?

You're asking an important question that many researchers are actively studying. There is strong evidence suggesting a connection between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and MS development.

Recent research found that Show Full Answer

Were you diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus (mono) before your MS diagnosis, and could it have caused your MS?

You're asking an important question that many researchers are actively studying. There is strong evidence suggesting a connection between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and MS development.

Recent research found that people infected with EBV have a 32-fold higher risk of developing MS compared to those who haven't been infected. The majority of people diagnosed with MS have been found to have a current or prior EBV infection, leading experts to believe that EBV infection may be a significant risk factor for developing MS.

Here's what researchers think happens: After causing mono in some people, EBV typically stays dormant in your body. Scientists believe that EBV-infected immune cells (particularly B cells) can collect in the brain and attract other immune cells that create inflammation and damage the central nervous system. Research shows it can take around 10 years to develop MS symptoms after an EBV infection.

However, it's important to understand that EBV infection alone doesn't guarantee someone will develop MS. More than 90 percent of adults worldwide have been infected with EBV at some point, but fewer than 3 million people worldwide have MS. This means the virus is only one piece of the puzzle.

MS development appears to require a combination of factors:
- EBV infection
- Certain genetic risk factors (especially genes related to immune system regulation)
- Environmental factors (like vitamin D levels, smoking, and obesity)

So while your EBV diagnosis at age 10 may have been a contributing factor to your MS, it likely worked together with other genetic and environmental elements unique to you.

February 20
A MyMSTeam Member

Oh wow.Thats crazy at the age of 5 to start having nerve problems.MS is masked by so many other conditions.Ive had symptoms way b4 I was diagnosed.For instance,at the age of 20 my left eyeball had shifted upwards and stayed that way for a week. I could only see the white in my left eye because my eyeball was stuck looking up into my brain.I know my eye wasn't looking into my brain but this is the best explanation I can give about this episode.Primary Dr didn't know what was going on.I had to wear a patch over my left eye socket because I had double vision w/o the patch on.My eyeball finally dropped back to where it is suppose to be after a week and the final report about my eye was a mystery.This was 1987 when this happened.

February 23
A MyMSTeam Member

I think laying in bed for to long hurts the body ,because it make you stiff and difficult to move around so get moving and do as much as you can. Haven't you heard of bed sores that can happen to.

February 23
A MyMSTeam Member

I know from time to time I know my old MS doctor. He would check the virus, it was high not contagious. But when high you get extreme fatigue. I didn't know that .

February 22

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