Epstein-Barr: Scientists decode secrets of a very common virus that can cause cancer

By (author unknown), ScienceDaily: Latest Science NewsDecember 15, 2010 at 08:00PM

About 90 percent of people are infected at some time in their lives with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), usually with no ill effects. But individuals with compromised immune systems, such as people with organ transplants or HIV infection, have a greater risk of cancer occurring because of this virus. Scientists have discovered a pathway that infected cells use to root out EBV infections, a finding that has implications for understanding the human response to cancer-causing viruses in general.