Humoral response to anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-viral capsid antigen (VCA) and -EBNA-1 is associated with more advanced cortical atrophy, accumulation of chronic T1 black holes, and focal white matter lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This according to a study of 369 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 135 with secondary progressive MS (SPMS), 35 with primary progressive MS (PPMS), 66 with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), 63 with other neurological diseases (OND), and 178 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Researchers found:

• > 30% of patients with MS and CIS presented with the highest quartile of anti-EBV-VCA and –EBNA-1 status vs ≤ 10% of HCs.

• The figures for patients with OND were 14.3% and 12.3%.

• Patients with MS with the highest quartile of anti-EBV-VCA showed significantly increased T2 lesion volume, T1 lesion number, and T1 lesion volume, and decreased gray matter and cortical volumes vs patients with MS with lower quartiles.

Citation: Zivadinov R, Cerza N, Hagemeier J, et al. Humoral response to EBV is associated with cortical atrophy and lesion burden in patients with MS. [Published online ahead of print January 7, 2016]. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. doi: 10.​1212/​NXI.​0000000000000190.