Scientists may have uncovered a key culprit behind lupus, the mysterious autoimmune disease. And it's an infection so common that 95% of people contract it at some point in their lives. New research published in Science Translational Medicine suggests the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the most common cause of mono, could cause lupus by prompting the immune system to attack the body's own cells. While the link between EBV and lupus has long been suspected, Stanford immunologist Dr. William Robinson, a co-author of the study, says his team's work identifies the virus as the "key, missing mechanistic link," adding, "We think it applies to all lupus cases," per NBC News.
EBV, most often spread through saliva, usually lies dormant after infection. However, the study found lupus patients have a much higher proportion of B cells—a type of white blood cells—harboring the virus. They have about 1 in 400 infected B cells, compared to fewer than 1 in 10,000 in a typical, healthy person carrying EBV—a 25-fold difference, according to Stanford Medicine. These infected cells, researchers say, are reprogrammed by EBV to churn out antinuclear antibodies, a hallmark of lupus that causes the immune system to turn on the body's own tissues.
Not everyone exposed to EBV develops lupus or other autoimmune conditions—genetics and other factors likely play a role. But it could also be that particular strains of EBV is triggering these reactions, Robinson tells NBC. The findings bolster calls for an EBV vaccine, which some scientists see as the "ultimate, fundamental solution" to preventing related diseases, including Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis. Several vaccine candidates are already in trials.
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