#EpsteinBarrVirus

A wave of new research strengthens the link between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic condition that affects millions globally. The connection was first highlighted by a team led by Professor Alberto Ascherio, who analyzed data from about 10 million former U.S. military personnel. The findings show that MS often emerges as a delayed consequence of EBV infection, one of the most common viruses in the world and a member of the herpes family.

In recent groundbreaking research, scientists have reinforced the link between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS), a debilitating disease affecting millions worldwide. This connection, initially identified by Professor Alberto Ascherio and his team, stems from their meticulous analysis of data from 10 million former military personnel in the United States. The study revealed that MS in individuals is almost consistently a delayed response following EBV infection, which is one of the most common viruses globally and a member of the herpes family.

In a landmark recognition of their transformative work on multiple sclerosis (MS), Dr. Alberto Ascherio from Harvard University and Dr. Stephen Hauser from the University of California, San Francisco, have been awarded the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, sharing a $3 million prize. This prize is notable for its size, significantly exceeding that of a Nobel Prize monetary award, and highlights research that has fundamentally redefined our understanding of MS, a neurodegenerative condition affecting millions globally.

A landmark Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences has recognized two leaders in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Dr. Alberto Ascherio of Harvard University and Dr. Stephen Hauser of UCSF share a $3 million award for work that reshapes how we understand and treat MS, a neurodegenerative disease affecting millions worldwide.

Ascherio’s work highlights Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as a major risk factor for MS. In a rigorous 20-year study, he showed that EBV infection increases the risk of developing MS by about 32 times. This positions EBV as a leading known cause of MS and has spurred efforts to develop vaccines that might prevent the disease by targeting the virus. For Thai readers, this underscores the global importance of infectious triggers in chronic diseases and the potential for preventive strategies.