Knowra Epstein–Barr virus Epstein–Barr virus Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus that infects B cells and epithelial cells. It causes infectious mononucleosis and is associated with several cancers.
B cell : A lymphocyte that produces antibodies and can develop into a memory cell or antibody-secreting plasma cell. EBV infects B cells and can drive their proliferation during infection.
Infectious mononucleosis : An acute illness often marked by fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue, commonly caused by EBV. Primary EBV infection in adolescents and adults often presents as this syndrome.
Herpesviridae : A family of enveloped DNA viruses that establish lifelong infections in humans and other animals. EBV belongs to this family of viruses capable of latency.
EBV vaccine : A vaccine intended to prevent EBV infection or reduce diseases caused by the virus. No licensed vaccine exists, despite EBV’s widespread infection and disease burden.
Epstein–Barr virus latency : A state in which EBV persists in infected cells while expressing a restricted set of viral genes. Latency lets EBV remain in B cells after the acute infection subsides.
Burkitt lymphoma : A fast-growing B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with EBV in many cases worldwide. EBV is linked to endemic Burkitt lymphoma, especially in regions with intense malaria transmission.
Gammaherpesvirinae : A subfamily of herpesviruses that commonly establish persistent infections in lymphocytes. EBV is a gammaherpesvirus, a classification that reflects its lymphocyte tropism.
Multiple sclerosis : A chronic disease in which immune-mediated damage disrupts communication between the brain, spinal cord, and body. Strong epidemiologic evidence links prior EBV infection to multiple sclerosis, but the causal pathway remains under study.
Epstein–Barr virus lytic cycle : The phase of EBV infection in which viral genes direct production of new virus particles. Reactivation from latency enables EBV to replicate and spread to new cells.
Hodgkin lymphoma : A lymphoma characterized by malignant Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg cells in affected tissues. EBV is present in the tumor cells of a substantial subset of cases.
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