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The Epstein Barr virus, which is known to cause mononucleosis, actually increases the risk of some people developing seven other serious diseases. How did it happen? The following is an overview based on the research findings.
Facts about the epstein barr virus
The Epstein-Barr virus (abbreviated as EBV) is a very common virus that attacks humans and is transmitted through saliva. This virus is best known for causing infectious mononucleosis. Infection with this disease is indicated by symptoms of fever, sore throat, and inflammation of the lymph nodes in the neck. Quoted from Healthline, as many as 90 to 95 percent of adults worldwide infected with this virus during their lifetime.
This virus often attacks when someone is a child. Usually, children who catch this virus only experience a minor illness such as a cold. However, adolescents or adults who are infected usually experience more severe symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and general weakness.
Symptoms usually last for a matter of weeks to months and do not lead to serious complications. Once infected, the virus remains in your body for life even if you only experience one illness.
How does the Epstein Barr virus cause serious illnesses?
You may have had mononucleosis due to the Epstein Barr virus in adulthood, but don't panic. Being infected with EBV in adulthood does not mean you will have autoimmune diseases such as lupus and others. There are a variety of other factors involved in this, including dozens of gene variants that increase your risk of developing autoimmune diseases.
Based on research conducted by scientists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, apart from being known as a cause of infectious mononucleosis, this virus can cause seven other diseases, namely:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism)
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Celiac disease
- Type 1 diabetes
The research, published in the journal Nature Genetics, shows that a protein produced by the Epstein-Barr virus called EBNA2 binds to several locations along the human genome (gene pool) associated with these seven diseases.
Normally, when viral and bacterial infections attack, the body responds by ordering the B lymphocytes in the immune system to secrete antibodies. These antibodies will be used by the body to fight various foreign substances that enter the body, including bacteria and viruses.
However, when EBV infection occurred, something strange happened. The Esptein-Barr virus attacks the B lymphocytes themselves, reprograms, and takes over control of B cell function in an unusual way. How come?
A team of experts from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is discovering new facts about how EBV does this. It turns out that there is a process that involves a small protein called a transcription factor.
Human cells contain proteins called transcription factors which are responsible for turning certain genes on and off. EBV uses these proteins to turn genes on and off at the right time to help them carry out their respective functions and respond to their environment.
These proteins are continuously moving along the DNA strands, changing specific genes and turning them off to make the cells function as intended. So that when a virus infects a cell, it makes its own protein or transcription factor. As a result, the normal function of cells also changes, which can lead to the appearance of various autoimmune diseases.
One of the researchers led by dr. John Marley, Ph.D., Head of Genomics and Autoimmune Etiology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center found that seven autoimmune diseases share a common set of abnormal transcription factors. Thus, the binding of these abnormal proteins to certain parts of the genetic code increases the risk of developing the seven serious autoimmune diseases mentioned above.
However, further research is needed to understand why only a few infected with EBV develop autoimmune disease. Most likely because environmental factors, poor diet, pollution and exposure to other harmful substances can also interact with human genes and cause certain diseases.
