Epstein-Barr virus
Getting to know the virus
EBV facts
95 %
of the world’s population is infected with the
Epstein-Barr virus, but few people know it.
+ de 30
pathologies
related diseases: cancers, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases….
Persistent
Mainly hosted in B lymphocytes, EBV remains in the body for life. It does not disappear.
Reactivatable
Normally “dormant” under the control of the immune system, it can be reactivated if the immune system fails.
Mononucleosis is the primary infection
It is often mistaken for other infections and is sometimes asymptomatic.
Under-diagnosed
Mononucleosis is the primary infection. It is often mistaken for other infections and is sometimes asymptomatic.
Those exposed to EBV in childhood usually have mild symptoms, if any. People first exposed to EBV in their teens or adulthood usually develop mononucleosis, a more severe disease with severe fatigue, a sore throat, low-grade fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache and an enlarged spleen. The syndrome gradually disappears, but the resulting fatigue may last for a long time.
Once the initial EBV infection has cleared – whether in childhood or adulthood – the virus remains dormant in the salivary glands and other lymphoid tissues. However, any immune system failure can reactivate the virus.
EBV, The EveryBody’s Virus
Explanations by Dr. Emmanuel Drouet
EBV and humanity evolve together.
If you want to understand the immune system,
study the Epstein-Barr virus.