The singer revealed she discovered EBV with the help of actress Ludmila Dayer, who released a documentary about her journey with the disease
Best known as the mononucleosis virus, the EpsteinBarr 🇧🇷EBVin its English abbreviation) is also linked to the increased risk of seven other diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes. anita was diagnosed with the disease two months ago.
Anitta explained her diagnosis during the screening of the documentary “Eu” in São Paulo. The film tells the story of the actress Ludmila Dayer in the process of discovering the disease, treating it and coping with the associated emotional problems.
According to Anitta, it was Ludmilla who led her to the exams, since she saw that the singer had symptoms similar to hers and did not have a specific diagnosis. “Fortunately, by fate, I managed not to reach the stage where Ludmila arrived,” he said.
The EBV virus belongs to the herpesvirus family, is a common virus and can be transmitted through saliva, blood transfusions and contact with contaminated objects. According to experts, many infections are asymptomatic, that is, the person does not feel anything.
“EBV infection can increase the likelihood of developing multiple sclerosis by altering the person’s autoimmune response. Therefore, the person’s immune system begins to attack the nervous system itself,” says Marcus Pai, physiatrist and acupuncturist and director of the Colégio Brazilian Doctor of Acupuncture (CMBA).
The neurologist Mauricio Hoshino recalls that from the beginning the presence of the EpsteinBar virus was considered a factor that acts on the immune system and stimulates the production of these antibodies against itself.
“The problem is that the presence of the virus, which is very common in the population, does not necessarily cause symptoms, let alone changes in the immune system. It has never been possible to prove the role of the virus as an etiological factor in relation to multiple sclerosis,” he says.
THE multiple sclerosis affects at least 40,000 Brazilians and is difficult to diagnose. The disease manifests itself in a neurological, chronic and autoimmune form, and the body’s defense cells attack the central nervous system itself, causing injury to the brain and spinal cord. It can affect the visual, sensory, motor, and coordinative systems.
There is no cure for the disease and treatment consists of relieving symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease, which usually affects young adults in particular Women between 20 and 40 yearsaccording to the Brazilian Multiple Sclerosis Association.
THE multiple sclerosis can manifest itself through various symptoms. “They are very variable because they depend on where in the central nervous system the injury occurred, the attack on the myelin sheath. They can range from tingling sensations that appear in the arms or legs, chest area and generally lasting longer than 24 hours Symptoms include weakness in an arm or leg There may also be blurred vision in one of the eyes, damage that persist for a few days, as well as double vision caused by the difficulty in fixing your gaze,” adds Gabriel Bienes, coordinator of the Clinical Neurology Service at Leforte Liberdade Hospital.
It is important for the suspected person to see a neurologist, who is the specialist indicated to treat the condition, as soon as possible. It will consider some criteria such as: B. the detection of multiple lesions in the central nervous system, and the request for tests.
There are no specific tests for multiple sclerosis. The diagnosis depends on the exclusion of other pathologies that can produce similar signs and symptoms of other neurological diseases, which is called differential diagnosis.
Therefore, it is important that the doctor examines the patient, performs a neurological examination and sees his or her history. MRI of the skull can help confirm the diagnosis.
“By far the most common symptom is fatigue🇧🇷 For example, it’s chronic fatigue and then it draws attention to changes in speech, swallowing, balance symptoms, and visual changes,” Hoshino believes.
In practice, the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis can take years due to a lack of knowledge about the pathology, since its symptoms are initially nonspecific.
+Free the best content in your email. Choose your favorite Terra newsletter. Click here!