Infection with Epstein-Barr virus and cancer: an epidemiological review

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is ubiquitous worldwide, with greater than 80% of people over the age of 30 having been infected. Once EBV infection has occurred, it remains for the lifetime of the individual, making EBV one of the most persistant viruses that infect humans. EBV is strongly associated with the development of several cancers, in particular with Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and lymphoproliferative disorders which complicate immune suppression conditions. These EBV-associated neoplasms are characterized by peculiar geographic distributions and distinctive epidemiologic features. In this review, the main epidemiological aspects of the relationship between EBV infection and cancer are outlined, and recent advances in the mechanisms underlying EBV-induced growth transformation are summarized.