New insights into herpes virus could inform vaccine development

A team of scientists has discovered new insights into the mechanisms of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, as well as two antibodies that block the virus’ entry into cells. The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), have the potential to lead to the development of novel vaccines to prevent infection by EBV and other human herpesviruses. Richard Longnecker, PhD, Dan and Bertha Spear Research Professor of Microbiology-Immunology, was a co-author of the study. The research was a joint project with Theodore Jardetzky, PhD, of Stanford University, with whom the Longnecker laboratory has had a long-term collaboration. EBV, which causes infectious mononucleosis (mono), is one of nine types of herpesviruses that can infect humans. The vast majority of humans are infected with EBV by the time they reach adulthood, typically without serious medical issues. However, EBV infection can also contribute to a variety of cancers, including Burkitt and Hodgkin...