Abstract
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an ubiquitous human herpesvirus. Primary infection is generally subclinical but in certain circumstances, such as in patients with either hereditary or secondary immunodeficiency, EBV infection may cause overt disease that is often lethal. Strategies for the prophylaxis and treatment of these potentially life-threatening complications of EBV infection have advanced dramatically. They include immunological-based approaches targeted at EBV-infected cells, as well as improvement in the treatment of the underlying and predisposing disease. This review will discuss EBV biology and immune events that occur in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals and introduce the novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for EBV-associated life-threatening diseases.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid (No. 18591207) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan.
Notes
*Including post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
HD: Hodgkin’s disease; LPD: Lymphoproliferative disease.
CTL: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte; EBV: Epstein-Barr virus; LPD: Lymphoproliferative disease.