Epstein-Barr Virus Serologic Profiles in Multiple Sclerosis and Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Neurology, Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
- 2Department of Neurology, Research Institute and Hospital of National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
- 3Department of Neurology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 5Department of Neurology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea; and.
- 6Department of Neurology, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Busan, Korea.
Abstract
Background and objectives
Although the link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS) is well established, geographic variation in EBV epidemiology warrants region-specific data from Asian populations. Beyond MS, the role of EBV in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) remains far less studied. This study aimed to compare EBV serostatus and antibody titers in patients with MS, MOGAD, and controls in a Korean cohort.Methods
We analyzed MS (n = 130), MOGAD (n = 125), and untreated tumor controls without known EBV association (n = 132). MS and controls were frequency-matched to MOGAD by age at sampling. Serum Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) IgG, viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG, VCA IgM, and early antigen (EA) IgG were measured using chemiluminescence immunoassays (LIAISON, DiaSorin). EBV seropositivity was defined as EBNA1 IgG or VCA IgG positivity, and serologic findings suggestive of possible recent infection/reactivation were defined as positivity for VCA IgM or EA IgG.Results
EBV seropositivity was nearly universal in MS, MOGAD, and controls (98.5%, 98.4%, and 99.2%, p = 0.751). EBNA1 responses differed across groups, with the frequency of EBNA1 IgG levels exceeding the upper reportable limit (>600 U/mL) being highest in MS, compared with MOGAD and controls (66.2% vs 33.6% vs 43.9%; p < 0.001). In three-group analyses using controls as reference, MS had higher EBNA1 IgG levels (adjusted geometric mean ratio [aGMR], 1.54; p = 0.006), whereas MOGAD did not. For VCA IgG, MS did not differ from controls, whereas MOGAD showed lower levels than controls (aGMR, 0.72; p = 0.018). Among patients with MS and MOGAD, models additionally adjusted for disease-related factors indicated that EBNA1 IgG and VCA IgG levels were higher in MS (aGMR, 1.97; p < 0.001 and aGMR, 1.42; p = 0.018, respectively), while ongoing treatment at sampling was associated with lower VCA IgG levels (aGMR, 0.64; p = 0.007). Serologic findings suggestive of possible recent EBV infection or reactivation were comparable across groups.Discussion
In this Korean cohort, MS showed stronger EBNA1 responses than MOGAD and controls, extending prior evidence on the relevance of EBNA1 in MS to an Asian population. The absence of a similar pattern in MOGAD suggests that the contribution of EBV may differ between the 2 diseases.
Related
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- Treatment of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD): acute attacks, relapse prevention, and symptomatic care
- External validation of the MOG-AR score in pediatric myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease.
- Metabolomic Profiles Associated With Disease Severity in Multiple Sclerosis.
BibTeX
@article{kang2026epsteinbarr,
title = {{Epstein-Barr Virus Serologic Profiles in Multiple Sclerosis and Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease.}},
author = {You-Ri Kang and Ki Hoon Kim and Namjin Heo and Ju-Hong Min and Woojun Kim and Seung Woo Kim and Ha Young Shin and So-Young Huh and Jae-Won Hyun and Su-Hyun Kim and Tai-Seung Nam and Ho Jin Kim},
journal = {Neurology(R) neuroimmunology \& neuroinflammation},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1212/nxi.0000000000200674},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42956321},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Epstein-Barr Virus Serologic Profiles in Multiple Sclerosis and Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease.
AU - You-Ri Kang
AU - Ki Hoon Kim
AU - Namjin Heo
AU - Ju-Hong Min
AU - Woojun Kim
AU - Seung Woo Kim
AU - Ha Young Shin
AU - So-Young Huh
AU - Jae-Won Hyun
AU - Su-Hyun Kim
AU - Tai-Seung Nam
AU - Ho Jin Kim
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation
DO - 10.1212/nxi.0000000000200674
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42956321
AB - Background and objectives Although the link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS) is well established, geographic variation in EBV epidemiology warrants region-specific data from Asian populations. Beyond MS, the role of EBV in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) remains far less studied. This study aimed to compare EBV serostatus and antibody titers in patients with MS, MOGAD, and controls in a Korean cohort.Methods We analyzed MS (n = 130), MOGAD (n = 125), and untreated tumor controls without known EBV association (n = 132). MS and controls were frequency-matched to MOGAD by age at sampling. Serum Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) IgG, viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG, VCA IgM, and early antigen (EA) IgG were measured using chemiluminescence immunoassays (LIAISON, DiaSorin). EBV seropositivity was defined as EBNA1 IgG or VCA IgG positivity, and serologic findings suggestive of possible recent infection/reactivation were defined as positivity for VCA IgM or EA IgG.Results EBV seropositivity was nearly universal in MS, MOGAD, and controls (98.5%, 98.4%, and 99.2%, p = 0.751). EBNA1 responses differed across groups, with the frequency of EBNA1 IgG levels exceeding the upper reportable limit (>600 U/mL) being highest in MS, compared with MOGAD and controls (66.2% vs 33.6% vs 43.9%; p < 0.001). In three-group analyses using controls as reference, MS had higher EBNA1 IgG levels (adjusted geometric mean ratio [aGMR], 1.54; p = 0.006), whereas MOGAD did not. For VCA IgG, MS did not differ from controls, whereas MOGAD showed lower levels than controls (aGMR, 0.72; p = 0.018). Among patients with MS and MOGAD, models additionally adjusted for disease-related factors indicated that EBNA1 IgG and VCA IgG levels were higher in MS (aGMR, 1.97; p < 0.001 and aGMR, 1.42; p = 0.018, respectively), while ongoing treatment at sampling was associated with lower VCA IgG levels (aGMR, 0.64; p = 0.007). Serologic findings suggestive of possible recent EBV infection or reactivation were comparable across groups.Discussion In this Korean cohort, MS showed stronger EBNA1 responses than MOGAD and controls, extending prior evidence on the relevance of EBNA1 in MS to an Asian population. The absence of a similar pattern in MOGAD suggests that the contribution of EBV may differ between the 2 diseases.
SN - 2332-7812
ER -