RNA virus and DNA virus initiations of autoimmune diseases and/or dementias

Abstract

There are viral pathogen pathways to initiate autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, directly or indirectly, by reactivating latent viruses including human herpesviruses. After initial infections, these DNA viruses can enter latency but periodically reactivate into active infections following triggers: medical treatments inducing immunosuppressions; and infections by immunosuppressive pathogens including RNA viruses, stress or malnutrition. An indirect causation pathway for autoimmune diseases can utilize immune suppressions by RNA virus infections, which trigger reactivation of latent herpesviruses capable of directly causing autoimmune diseases. Although it is believed that general inflammation, not specific pathogens, causes autoimmune diseases, experimental evidence indicates autoimmune diseases are caused by herpesvirus reactivations. Such viral reactivations can be induced by immunosuppressions during severe pathogen infections, particularly by RNA virus infections.