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The quest to prevent MS — and understand other post-viral diseases

Some people develop multiple sclerosis after an infection. Could a vaccine prevent that — and what does it reveal about the long-term effects of viruses?
  1. Asher Mullard

    1. Asher Mullard is a science journalist based in Ottawa, Canada.

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False coloured transmission electron micrograph of Epstein-Barr virus

A small number of people infected with Epstein-Barr virus (pictured) go on to develop multiple sclerosis years later. Credit: Dr Gopal Murti/SPL

In a sprawling facility in Silver Spring, Maryland, the US Department of Defense (DoD) has amassed a hoard of epidemiological treasure. Walk-in freezers each the size of a basketball court hold 72 million vials of blood serum meticulously tracked and sorted into cardboard boxes stacked nearly 4 metres high. Technicians pull on winter coats and gloves for 20-minute trips into these −30 °C deep freezers. The vials they bring out hold untold riches.

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Nature 603, 784-786 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00808-x

Updates & Corrections

  • Clarification 07 April 2022: An earlier version of this story stated that Katherine Luzuriaga is the lead investigator on the mRNA-1189 trial. She is, in fact, the lead investigator only for the UMass Chan part of the trial.

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