in which I geek out about neurology
Did you guys know that neurologists are currently looking into the EB virus (Epstein-Barr virus - a member of the herpesvirus fam) as the cause of Multiple Sclerosis? It’s true.
The EB virus, besides hanging out with herpes, is also the indirect cause of what we call mono. Indirect because, unlike a cold virus that causes the symptoms associated with a cold, mono is defined as a specific reaction the immune system may or may not have to the EB virus. So, basically, you get a cold virus, you get a cold; you get the EB virus, you might get mono. You might simply get a cold. You might simply get nothing.
1% of seniors at the University of Minnesota have NOT been exposed to the EB virus in some form. Most people come into contact with the virus in college.
However, for some of those who came into contact with the virus before they were fifteen years old (typically), before they had a sufficient immune system to deal with the virus (mono is an extreme reaction to the EB virus, indicating that an individual has a strong immune system - your body immediately reacts with GETTHEFUCKOUT), were unable to even identify the virus (read: no symptoms, no reaction, body was just unawares to the invasion); the virus is thus able to “hide out” within the body, and eventually infiltrate the nervous system. And BAM Multiple Sclerosis pops up later in life.
I’ve told a lot of you who know me in person about this, but realized I hadn’t blogged about it and this shit is CRAZY so I thought you should know. I hope I didn’t mix any of the facts up. Google that shit, something. Maybe JSTOR it. More reliable, you know.
