Antibody Responses to Epstein-Barr Virus in the Preclinical Period of Rheumatoid Arthritis Suggest the Presence of Increased Viral Reactivation Cycles.
Sabrina FechtnerHeather BerensElizabeth BemisRachel L JohnsonCarla J GuthridgeNichole E CarlsonM Kristen DemoruelleJohn B HarleyJess D EdisonJill A NorrisWilliam H RobinsonKevin D DeaneJudith A JamesV Michael HolersPublished in: Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) (2021)
Subjects who eventually develop classified RA demonstrate elevated EA-IgG antibody levels in the preclinical period, which suggests the presence of increased EBV re-activation cycles. A combination of RF and EBV reactivation may play an important role in the development of RA.