Progress in Developing a Vaccine Against Epstein-Barr Virus

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes about 200,000 cases of cancer (e.g., nasopharyngeal and gastric cancer, Burkitt and Hodgkin lymphomas), and about 140,000 deaths annually. EBV infection also could be a cofactor in other serious illnesses, including multiple sclerosis. In addition, it is the primary causative agent in infectious mononucleosis, which occasionally leads to years of debilitating fatigue (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome). Thus far, no vaccine against EBV have been successful in preventing infection.

People become infected when they are exposed to saliva from an EBV-positive person. Specific EBV molecules in saliva attach to specific epithelial cell receptors in the throat. In the tonsils, the virus passes from e…