It’s not just multiple sclerosis: other diseases can be caused by the virus diagnosed in Anitta

Anitta revealed that she was diagnosed with the virus Epstein-Barrwhich causes mononucleosis, or “kissing disease”, about two months ago. The revelation was made during the release of the documentary “Eu”, by the actress Ludmilla Dayerwhich tells the actress’s fight against multiple sclerosis.

According to the singer, receiving confirmation of the disease was the “most difficult moment of [sua] life”. Anitta said that her relationship with Ludmilla was essential for her to be able to treat herself at the beginning of the infection.

“When the results arrived I had the same virus as Ludmila, in the initial phase. Nowadays there is no coincidence. Luckily, by fate, I managed not to reach the stage that Ludmila arrived”, he said.

What is Epstein-Barr?

The Epstein-Barr virus causes mononucleosis, also known as the kissing disease. The virus is from the same family as the herpes simplex virus and is transmitted mainly through saliva, through kissing or through contact with contaminated cutlery, cups, straws and other shared objects.

The virus has an incubation period that varies from 30 to 45 days, and it can be asymptomatic or present symptoms. “The main ones are sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, some patients may have pain in the body, fever and, eventually, impairment of the liver and spleen as well”, explains Karen Mirna Loro Morejón, infectologist, director of the Sociedade Paulista de Infectologia (SPI).

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The diagnosis of the disease can be made through serological tests and complete blood count. Clinical analysis is also important. Treatment is done through medicine, rest and fluid intake.

What is the relationship between Epstein-barr and multiple sclerosis?

The relationship between the virus and multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, is still being studied. The most consistent evidence is a study carried out by scientists at Harvard University, in the United States, and published in the journal Science.

In the research, the scientists discovered that the virus may play a key role in the development of the disease, although it is not a rule that all people infected with Epstein-barr will have multiple sclerosis in the future.

To reach this conclusion, 10 million US military adults were followed for 20 years. Of those, 955 were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. According to the researchers, those who had been infected by Epstein-Barr had a 32 times greater risk of having the disease.

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“The virus can enter the genome and this genome can modify the immune system, causing it to attack our own brain cells. So, the body itself attacks the brain, because it changes the conformation of the immune system”, explains neurosurgeon Cezar Oliveira, head of Neurosurgery teams at the Sírio-Libanês, AACD, Hcor, Rede São Luiz, Edmundo Vasconcelos and Santa Catarina hospitals.

Other diseases that are related to Epstein-Barr

In addition to mononucleosis and multiple sclerosis, the Epstein-Barr virus has been linked to other diseases, such as Burkitt’s lymphoma, a type of cancer. “Some patients develop hepatitis during the course of this disease and an enlarged spleen as well”, says infectologist Karen, which can lead to jaundice.

In addition, another study, published in 2018 in the scientific journal Nature, showed that exposure to the virus also increases the risk of developing other autoimmune diseases in people with a genetic predisposition. This is the case with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and type 1 diabetes.