One of the most common viruses in the world could be behind lupus, an autoimmune condition with a wide range of symptoms, according to a study released Wednesday. Lupus has long puzzled doctors: No single cause has been identified, and there is no standard treatment.

However, new research, published in Science Translational Medicine, suggests that Epstein-Barr virus, which infects 95% of people at some point in their lives, may trigger lupus by prompting the body to attack its own healthy cells.

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Epstein-Barr Virus: What Is It?

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a widespread herpesvirus that infects most people globally and is the main cause of infectious mononucleosis, also called mono. It spreads primarily through saliva, meaning kissing, sharing drinks, or close personal contact can pass the virus.

For most, EBV causes a short-lived illness with symptoms such as fatigue, fever, and sore throat. Once infected, the virus stays in the body for life, often without causing further problems, though it has been linked to certain cancers and autoimmune diseases, especially in people with weaker immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This adds to growing evidence connecting EBV to long-term health issues, including autoimmune conditions. Researchers say the findings strengthen the case for developing a vaccine targeting the virus.

In people with lupus, the immune system attacks the body, causing extreme fatigue, joint pain, and skin rashes. In rare cases, the disease can lead to serious complications like kidney damage or make the body less able to fight infections.

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Epstein-Barr Virus and the Lupus Link

Scientists have long suspected a connection between EBV and lupus, but the exact link remained unclear. Dr. William Robinson, co-author of the study and chief of immunology and rheumatology at Stanford University, said the new findings solve a key piece of the puzzle.

“From our perspective, it’s the missing mechanistic link,” Robinson said. “We believe it could apply to all lupus cases,” he added. Hundreds of thousands in the U.S. live with the disease.

However, Hoang Nguyen, assistant vice president of research at the Lupus Research Alliance, cautioned that it’s too early to say whether this mechanism explains every case, as per NBC News.

“While the evidence is promising, more research is needed to confirm if EBV is the trigger for all lupus,” Nguyen said. The alliance, a private funder of lupus research, provided grant support for the study.

Epstein-Barr Virus Transmission

Not everyone infected with EBV shows symptoms, especially children, although the virus is the most common cause of mononucleosis. It spreads mainly through saliva, by kissing or sharing drinks, food, utensils, or toothbrushes. Once in the body, EBV usually stays dormant, though sometimes it reactivates.

This isn’t the first time EBV has been tied to autoimmune disorders. Earlier research has linked it to multiple sclerosis, though it is likely one factor among many in the disease’s development.

Robinson noted that the pathway his team identified might also contribute to other autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease, though more work is needed to explore that.

Most people infected with EBV never develop lupus, MS, or other autoimmune conditions. Robinson said certain strains of EBV may be more likely to trigger autoimmune reactions.

Epstein-Barr Virus: What Diseases Are Associated With Epstein Barr Virus?

To explore the link with lupus, Robinson and colleagues focused on B cells, white blood cells that fight infections. Even in healthy people, EBV lies dormant in a small portion of B cells. But in lupus patients, these infected B cells are far more common — up to 25 times higher than in healthy individuals, according to the study.

The research also highlights antinuclear antibodies, proteins that attach to cell nuclei and are a hallmark of lupus. Epstein-Barr infects B cells and reprograms them to produce these antibodies, which then attack healthy tissue.

Robinson said the findings align with other theories of lupus, including genetic and hormonal factors that may make someone more vulnerable to the disease. A 2024 *Nature* study also found lupus patients have too many of a certain T cell type associated with cell damage, and too few T cells that aid repair. The pathway Robinson describes could trigger these immune responses.

Epstein-Barr Virus: Is Treatment Possible?

The study points to new possibilities for lupus therapy. Currently, treatments mainly reduce inflammation, such as corticosteroids. Robinson said future drugs could target B cells infected with EBV specifically.

Meanwhile, vaccines in clinical trials could prevent EBV infection entirely. “Vaccination to stop EBV infection would be the ultimate way to prevent these autoimmune diseases,” Robinson said, as per NBC News.

Erythritol sweetener, commonly found in most of the food we consume, whether it is a protein bar or energy drink could be linked to stroke risk. While it is considered as a safer alternative to sugar as a natural sweetener, a study from the University of Colorado suggests it could damage cells in the blood-brain barrier.

The blood-brain barrier is brain's security system that keeps the harmful substance off the limits, while letting in nutrients. Research also suggests that it would lead to serious consequences for heart health and stroke risk.

Erythritol Sweetener Risk: What Did The Study Find?

In the latest study, researchers exposed cells that form the blood–brain barrier to erythritol levels typically seen after consuming a soft drink sweetened with the compound. What followed was a cascade of cellular damage that could leave the brain more vulnerable to blood clots, one of the leading causes of stroke.

The researchers found that erythritol triggered intense oxidative stress, overwhelming cells with unstable molecules known as free radicals. At the same time, it weakened the body’s natural antioxidant defences. This double hit impaired normal cell function and, in some cases, led to cell death.

Damage to blood–brain barrier cells is particularly concerning because this barrier plays a crucial role in protecting the brain from harmful substances circulating in the bloodstream. When its integrity is compromised, the risk of neurological injury rises sharply.

Erythritol Sweetener Risk: How It Disrupts Blood Flow Control

Even more troubling was erythritol’s effect on how blood vessels regulate blood flow. Healthy blood vessels constantly adjust their width—expanding when organs need more oxygen and nutrients, and narrowing when demand is lower.

This process depends on a delicate balance between two molecules: nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, and endothelin-1, which causes them to constrict. The study found that erythritol disrupted this balance by reducing nitric oxide production while increasing endothelin-1 levels.

The result is blood vessels that stay constricted longer than they should, potentially restricting blood flow to the brain. This kind of dysfunction is a known warning sign for ischaemic stroke, the most common form of stroke caused by blocked blood vessels.

Erythritol Sweetener Risk: How It Interferes With Body's Clot Defense

The most alarming finding in the study was how body's natural protect against blood clot is disturbed. Under normal circumstances, cells release a substance called tissue plasminogen activator, which is described as a natural 'clot buster', which helps dissolve clots before they become dangerous. However, erythritol could interfere with this protective mechanism and allow clots to persist and cause damage.

Several have shown that people with higher blood levels of erythritol face significantly increased risks of cardiovascular events. In one major study, individuals with the highest erythritol levels were nearly twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.

However, researchers caution that the experiments were conducted on isolated cells rather than full blood vessels. More advanced models that better replicate human physiology will be needed to confirm the findings.

Erythritol occupies a unique space in the sweetener world. Classified as a sugar alcohol rather than an artificial sweetener, it escaped recent World Health Organization guidance discouraging artificial sweeteners for weight control. Its sugar-like taste has also made it a favorite in “keto-friendly” and sugar-free foods.

FDA refuses to review Moderna's flu vaccine: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declined to begin reviewing Moderna’s application for its experimental flu vaccine. The company made the announcement on Tuesday. The decision marks another signal of stricter vaccine oversight under the Trump administration and has already rattled investor confidence, with Moderna’s stock falling nearly 7% in after-hours trading.

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Moderna said the FDA’s refusal came as a surprise and contradicted feedback the company had received earlier, before it submitted the application and launched phase three trials for the vaccine, known as mRNA-1010. The company has now requested a meeting with the agency to better understand what it described as an unclear “path forward.”

FDA Refuses: Objections Raised Over Trial Design

According to Moderna, the FDA did not flag any safety or efficacy concerns with the vaccine itself. Instead, the agency objected to the design of the clinical trial—despite having previously signed off on it. Moderna added that the setback would not affect its financial guidance for 2026.

The experimental flu shot had shown encouraging results in phase three trials last year, successfully meeting all primary trial endpoints. At the time, Moderna positioned the stand-alone flu vaccine as a critical step toward developing a combined influenza and COVID-19 vaccine, a key long-term goal for the company.

FDA Refuses: Shifting U.S. Vaccine Policy Landscape

The decision comes amid sweeping changes to U.S. immunisation policy over the past year under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long expressed skepticism toward vaccines. Moderna on Tuesday pointed to the FDA’s top vaccine regulator, Vinay Prasad, who returned to the agency in August after being removed earlier.

Prasad currently heads the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) and has publicly argued for tighter regulatory standards for vaccines. He has also drawn controversy for comments linking child deaths to COVID-19 vaccines.

FDA Refuses: FDA Letter Cites Comparator Concerns

In a letter dated February 3 and signed by Prasad, the FDA stated that its refusal to review Moderna’s application was solely due to concerns about the trial’s design. Specifically, the agency objected to Moderna’s choice of comparator, arguing that comparing the experimental shot to a standard, approved flu vaccine did not represent the “best available standard of care.”

As a result, the FDA concluded that the study did not qualify as an “adequate and well-controlled” trial under its regulatory definition.

Moderna has strongly disputed this interpretation, arguing that FDA rules do not require companies to use the most advanced or highest-dose vaccine as a comparator in clinical trials.

FDA Refuses: Moderna Pushes Back, Eyes 2026–27 Timeline

In a statement, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the decision undermines innovation and fails to advance shared public health goals. He emphasized that the trial design had been discussed and agreed upon with CBER before the study began.

Moderna now expects the earliest possible approval for its flu shot to come in late 2026 or 2027, pending regulatory reviews across the U.S., Europe, Canada, and Australia.

The FDA declined to comment, stating it does not discuss regulatory communications with individual companies, reported CNBC.

Mongolia is witnessing a sharp rise in measles infections, with the total number of confirmed cases reaching 14,123, according to the country’s National Centre for Communicable Diseases (NCCD). Health officials say the outbreak is largely affecting school-age children, many of whom had received only one dose of the measles vaccine instead of the recommended two.

In a public advisory, the NCCD urged parents to ensure their children complete the full vaccination schedule, warning that partial immunization leaves children vulnerable to a potentially severe and highly contagious disease.

Why Children Are Most Affected

Health authorities noted that the majority of new infections were recorded among children who had not received their second measles shot. While a single dose offers some protection, it is not sufficient to prevent outbreaks, especially in school settings where close contact accelerates transmission.

The NCCD stressed that completing the two-dose regimen significantly strengthens immunity and reduces the risk of community-wide spread.

One of the World’s Most Contagious Viruses

Measles is considered one of the most infectious diseases known to humans. It spreads through direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions, such as coughing or sneezing, and through airborne transmission in enclosed spaces.

What makes measles particularly dangerous is its ability to remain active in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area. According to health experts, a single measles patient can infect up to 18 other people, making rapid containment extremely challenging once outbreaks begin.

Why Vaccination Still Matters

Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles infection and limit its spread. The measles vaccine is safe, cost-effective and helps the immune system recognize and fight the virus before serious illness develops.

Before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963 and widely adopted, large-scale outbreaks occurred every two to three years worldwide, causing an estimated 2.6 million deaths annually. Despite medical advances, measles continues to claim lives when vaccination coverage declines.

In 2023 alone, an estimated 107,500 people died from measles, most of them children under the age of five, highlighting the consequences of gaps in immunization programmes.

Recognising the Symptoms Early

Symptoms of measles typically appear 10 to 14 days after exposure. Early signs often resemble a common viral illness and can last up to a week. These include a runny nose, persistent cough, fever, red and watery eyes, and tiny white spots inside the mouth known as Koplik spots.

The most recognizable symptom—a red, blotchy rash—usually appears 7 to 18 days after exposure. It starts on the face and upper neck before spreading downward to the torso, arms, legs, hands and feet over several days. The rash generally lasts five to six days before fading.

A Renewed Call for Prevention

Health officials in Mongolia emphasize that measles outbreaks are preventable. They urge parents, caregivers and schools to prioritize full vaccination and seek medical advice at the first sign of symptoms.

With measles capable of spreading rapidly through communities, authorities warn that completing both vaccine doses is not optional but essential to protecting children and preventing future outbreaks.