A recent post mortem study showed reactivated EBV cells in active MS lesions and in stroke brains.
In the seven MS patients' postmortem brain tissue studied, active MS lesions all contained Epstein-Barr virus infected cells.
Such cells weren't unique to MS, but were also detected in CNS tissue from two control patients with stroke, which the researchers pointed out is also a disease in which inflammation plays an important role.
Notably, Epstein-Barr virus-positive cells were present in much higher numbers in active MS lesions than expected in peripheral blood B cells, "which suggests that these cells are recruited to or accumulate in CNS infiltrates," Lünemann noted
http://www.everydayhealth.com/multiple- ... in-ms.aspx
What might reactivate this virus and cause it to replicate in the B cells?
Lack of oxygen reactivates EBV infection. The ischemic injury of slowed blood flow, caused be stroke or CCSVI, could reactivate EBV cells.
EBV in latent infection can be activated to lytic infection by hypoxia treatment.
http://www.journalofclinicalvirology.co ... 7/abstract
In fact, researchers have found a link between pwMS who smoke, and the levels of EBV antigens, or ENBA titers.
The investigators found that among patients with MS, anti-EBNA titers were much higher among smokers than among nonsmokers. In addition, the increased risk of MS associated with anti-EBNA was stronger among those who had ever smoked (odds ratio [OR], 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7 – 5.7) compared with never smokers (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4 – 2.3; P value for interaction = .001).
To my knowledge, there is not a well-described causative mechanism linking smoking and MS,” she said. “Possible mechanisms, such as neurotoxicity and immunomodulatory effects, have been suggested, but there is limited data on this topic.”
Asked for comment on these findings, Lily Jung, MD, with the Swedish Neuroscience Institute, in Seattle, Washington, added that recent studies show that not only does smoking increase risk of developing MS, it also increases magnetic resonance imaging lesion volume and brain atrophy and leads to faster progression of the disease.
Smoking decreases oxygen and increases hypoxia. Hypoxia activates EBV. Seems like a potential link to me.