You all know how interested I am in glandular fever (Epstein Barr Virus) so I was particularly excited by recent research published in the medical journal Neurology that has revealed that low levels of sunlight coupled with the virus can increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).

There are also links between MS and low vitamin D level, which is being further investigated in Scotland.

The researchers at Oxford University looked at hospital admissions in England between 1998 and 2005.  They found that just be analysing sunlight, they could explain 61% of the variation in the number of MS cases across England.  However, when combined with glandular fever, 72% of the variation in MS cases could be explained.