Common viral antibodies could trigger MS, research reveals

[helvella]

Whilst this is NOT thyroid related - everything to do with triggering autoimmune diseases is obviously of potential interest.

Also, EBV has been discussed many times on the forum.

Common viral antibodies could trigger MS, research reveals

Scientists find antibodies for widespread Epstein-Barr virus can misfire and attach to protein in brain and spinal cord

Scientists have uncovered how a common childhood virus could trigger multiple sclerosis (MS), in findings that could pave the way for new treatments for the devastating condition.

The research suggests that the body’s immune response to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a normally harmless infection, can misfire and mistakenly target a crucial protein in the brain and spinal cord.

“MS is an incredibly complex disease, but our study provides an important piece in the puzzle and could explain why some people develop the disease,” said Dr Olivia Thomas, of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and shared first author of the paper.

“We have discovered that certain antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus which would normally fight the infection can mistakenly target the brain and spinal cord and cause damage.”

Rest of article accessible here:

theguardian.com/society/202...

Please try to keep comments towards being on topic regarding thyroid - and not a huge discussion about MS.

[Marymary7]

Is this too important to not answer. This film states worms cause M.S

youtube.com/live/jAZXRPpaz7...

[Tythrop]

This triggering of antibodies thing interests me much as I've often wondered if my Hashi ( elevated anti-tpo antibody) might have been triggered by EBV . We are all our most interesting subjects so we think about our symptoms a lot ,so apologies But...Am I right in thinking that there is some research to associate EBV with elevated or triggering of antithyroid antibodies ? I am interested to know because I had EBV in my late 30s ,then even later in my thirties I had a baby whereupon ,after much delay, the medics diagnose postpartum hypERthyroiditis .A case of rocketing symptoms . It was not actually your common-or -garden postpartum Hyper thy because it didn't settle on its own but antibody or Hashi Thyroiditis .

..So I wonder if in me ,the slow elevation of anti thyroid antibodies might have been triggered by EBV ,which , with pregnancy and traumatic birth experience ( thankyou NHS) was ,maybe, accelerated by that ,which seemed like postpartum ,but was infact accelerating Hashi triggered by the earlier EBV ?

[helvella Administrator in reply to Tythrop]

I think your questions and thoughts are good - but I cannot answer. I simply don't understand it enough.

[Tythrop in reply to helvella]

Yes I understand