EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus) The Culprit Behind Quality of Life Robbing Symptoms

Otherwise known as glandular fever, EBV has gained increasing notoriety over the past three decades as medicine has begun to unravel the role it plays in chronic fatigue disorders. It is widespread in the population and as much as 95% are infected at some point in their life. First infection typically presents as mono-nucleuses or “mono” for short. In about 80% of the population, the virus is cleared and antibodies prevent future infections but in 20%, the infection can become re-activated at anytime during life when immune function is depressed or other “stress” related factors can trigger the virus to re-invade.

There are really no effective phMarmaceutical anti-viral treatments to control EBV. But the good news is that there are many great options in the naturopathic world. Almost all of my patients with symptoms that may be explained by a reactivated EBV are tested and most results are positive for the infection. Request a telehealth appointment today to see if this could be a factor that is affecting your health.

Symptoms of EBV infection and reactivation include:

  • Fatigue (sometimes intense)

  • Achy muscles and joints

  • Swollen lymph nodes

  • Other persistent flu-like symptoms

  • Malaise and depression

long term sequelae

  • Neoplasia risk:

    • Endemic Burkitt lymphoma in children in malarial countries such as Africa

    • Hodgkin's lymphoma - 3x risk; 40% of HL cases in Western countries are EBV genome-positive

    • Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

    • Hairy leukoplakia

    • Leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas in immunocompromised children

    • Nasopharyngeal carcinoma appears to be always caused by EBV, high prevalence in southern China and other parts SE Asia

    • Most instances of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) are associated with EBV.

    • B-cell lymphomas (post-transplant lymphoma PTL) risk if on immunosuppressants for Mx of transplants

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) risk 20 fold in those with high titres of EBV antibodies and a specific HLA-DR15 or HLA-A genotype1)

  • There is evidence that infection with the virus is associated with a higher risk of certain autoimmune diseases, especially dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren's syndrome