What is Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection?
The EBV is one of the most common viruses, and is part of the herpes virus family. It has been estimated that EBV, which was discovered in 1964, infects almost everyone at some point during their lives. EBV often causes no symptoms, but it can cause mononucleosis and has been implicated in the development of other conditions, including multiple sclerosis and breast cancer. What are the symptoms? When children are infected with EBV, the virus typically doesn’t cause any symptoms. When teens or young adults get EBV, however, they often develop mononucleosis (“mono”), an infectious disease that can cause fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, and extreme fatigue. Although mononucleosis usually clears up in a month or two, EBV remains dormant in the body for the rest of the person’s life. EBV has been shown to play a role in the development of Burkitt’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, two rare cancers. While more research is needed, some studies have also found an association bet
