Lina Hidalgo Limits Public Appearances for Weeks After Mono Diagnosis

Q: A common virus infects 95% of adults. Could a new vaccine for it also prevent multiple sclerosis?

Yes. A vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus, or EBV — the virus that usually causes mono and infects about 95% of adults — could potentially prevent some cases of multiple sclerosis, though that has not yet been proven in clinical trials. The link between EBV and MS has grown much stronger in recent years. A landmark 2022 study of 10 million U.S. military personnel found the risk of MS rose 32-fold after EBV infection, making EBV the leading suspected cause of the disease. Other research shows people with lab-confirmed EBV-positive mononucleosis face a higher long-term risk of developing MS. That is why Hidalgo’s diagnosis matters beyond a routine mono case. Mono is usually a short-term illness marked by fatigue and sore throat, but EBV does not leave the body. It remains latent for life and has also been linked to several cancers and autoimmune diseases. There is still no approved EBV vaccine, but several candidates are in early human testing, including programs from the National Institutes of Health and Moderna. Researchers hope an effective vaccine could prevent mono, reduce EBV-related cancers, and possibly lower MS risk by stopping infection before it triggers the disease process. The key uncertainty is timing and proof. Because EBV infects most people in childhood or adolescence and MS can take years to appear, it will take long follow-up studies to show whether vaccination truly prevents MS. For now, scientists see that possibility as promising, not yet confirmed.

3 articles · Updated · KPRC Click2Houston · Jul 10

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said lab tests confirmed infectious mononucleosis after weeks of a sore throat and extreme fatigue, and she expects reduced public visibility for the next several weeks.
Thursday's Commissioners Court meeting was cut short for Hidalgo because she felt unwell; she said she wore a K95 mask and had previously assumed her symptoms were exhaustion.
County operations will continue during her recovery, with staff representing her when needed, while Hidalgo said she remains reachable and fully available in an emergency.
CDC guidance says mono is usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, spreads mainly through saliva rather than casual contact, and most people recover in 4 to 6 weeks.