Epstein - Barr Virus

Epstein – Barr Virus (or EBV) refers to a herpes virus of herpes simplex virus 1 and 2. Also referred to as Human Herpes Virus 4 (HHV-4), the EBV has been identified as one of the commonest viruses among humans and also leads to infectious mononucleosis, the symptoms of which includes fever, sore throat and inflamed lymph glands. It is also related to some particular cancer types, such as Burkitt’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and central nervous system lymphomas linked with HIV. Apparently, this virus infection is linked with a higher risk of some of the autoimmune diseases, particularly dermatomyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren’s syndrome, and multiple sclerosis.