Feed: Slashdot
Feed Link: https://slashdot.org/
---

Title: All Lupus Cases May Be Linked To a Common Virus, Study Finds

Link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/11/14/0...

One of the most common viruses in the world could be the cause of lupus, an
autoimmune disease with wide-ranging symptoms, according to a new study. From
a report: Until now, lupus was somewhat mysterious: No single root cause of
the disease had been found, and while there is no cure, there are medications
that can treat it. The research, published in the journal Science
Translational Medicine, suggests that Epstein-Barr virus -- which 95% of
people acquire at some point in life -- could cause lupus by driving the body
to attack its own healthy cells. It adds to mounting evidence that Epstein-
Barr is associated with multiple long-term health issues, including other
autoimmune conditions. As this evidence stacks up, scientists have
accelerated calls for a vaccine that targets the virus. "If we now better
understand how this fastidious virus is responsible for autoimmune diseases,
I think it's time to figure out how to prevent it," said Dr. Anca Askanase,
clinical director of the Lupus Center at Columbia University, who wasn't
involved in the new research.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

---
VRSS v2.1.180528