The condition is thought to be caused by a combination of genes and environmental factors such as, possibly, a lack of vitamin D — rates are higher in countries farther from the equator.
There’s also evidence that viruses such as the Epstein Barr virus, which causes glandular fever, can trigger it. The theory is that a virus might cause an overreaction by the immune system, kick-starting MS in people with a genetic susceptibility.
Last year, researchers at McGill University in Canada suggested that people genetically prone to low vitamin D levels are at an increased risk of developing MS.
Another study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry suggested that a common gut microbe, Helicobacter pylori, may protect against MS as it is less prevalent among women with the disease.
Researchers have also examined links with vaccines but have not found a clear link.
However, Stephanie has always suspected that her MS was triggered by a hepatitis A vaccination she had just before her trip to China.
‘I was well before it and have been ill ever since,’ she says.
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