There is a virus that has infected more than 90% of the world’s population, and unlike most pathogens, it remains in the human body for life and can reach alter your immune system Even decades after infection.its about Epstein-Barr virus; a microbe transmitted through saliva that initially causes kissing sickness, but in some cases, over time, causes kissing sickness. increased risk of multiple sclerosis and certain types of cancer.As announced Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, a team of Australian researchers has successfully developed experimental vaccine against the virus At least in the first tests in mice, this seemed to work very well.
Developed by researchers Vijayendra Dasari and Rajiv Khanna, the formula is designed to target the lymph nodes directly, and from there, Different Mechanisms of Activation of the Immune System This will act as a barrier both to prevent primary infection caused by the virus and to avoid the development of kissing disease itself (a pathology also known as mononucleosis that causes extreme fatigue, sore throat, rash and kissing disease) neck and axillary lymph nodes).
experiment with mice
The first prototype of this kissing disease vaccine achieved good results in a group 36 transgenic mice Mimic certain human characteristics.According to the first analysis, pierced rodents produced Antibodies and Immune Cells special focus on dealing with this virus at least seven months. It was also observed that vaccinated animals could control the growth and spread of certain tumors that, according to recent studies, may be associated with this infection.
Now There is currently no vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus.. Some pharmaceutical giants, such as Sanofi, are developing their own experimental formulations against the virus, although so far they have only shown efficacy in cell models or groups of experimental animals. Moderna also has a formulation that targets this pathogen and has been testing it on a small group of volunteers.The United States has launched Independent trial on 40 volunteers Between the ages of 18 and 29, it lasts about four years.
Links to Other Diseases
For decades, the virus that causes kissing disease was thought to be completely harmless until recently, when some studies suggested a link between the virus and the risk of developing different diseases. For example, in January 2022, Harvard University-led research pointed to a possible link between the kissing disease and multiple sclerosis.The analysis, published in the journal Science, shows that the most people infected with the virus 32-fold increased risk of multiple sclerosis higher than that of their peers who had not been exposed to the virus.
Independent studies have also indicated There may be a link between mononucleolysis Diseases such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma, gastric cancer, lymphatic system or nasopharyngeal tract cancer and Parkinson’s disease, as well as various skin conditions such as Gianotti-Crosti syndrome, erythema multiforme and leukoplakia. It’s these connections that drive the development of a vaccine or treatment for this seemingly innocuous virus, and in the long run, can cause serious complications.
As the researchers who developed this experimental vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus explain, in future work, it will be necessary Research to see if the formula works in animals people who have been infected by the pathogen; how long the resulting immunity lasts after a piercing; and most importantly, if good results are obtained in rodents can be replicated in humans. Only time and research will tell.