Stronger evidence links multiple sclerosis to Epstein-Barr virus that causes mononucleosis

An illustration of the outer coating of the Epstein-Barr virus, one of the world’s most common viruses. Epstein-Barr infection could set some people on the path to developing multiple sclerosis, new research suggests. | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services via AP

There’s strong, new evidence that one of the world’s most common viruses might set some people on the path to developing multiple sclerosis.

MS is a potentially disabling disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the protective coating on nerve fibers, gradually eroding them and interfering with communication between the brain and the rest of the body