Epstein-Barr Virus and Autoimmunity

There is a large body of evidence that infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the aetiological agent of infectious mononucleosis, has a role in the pathogenesis of many human chronic autoimmune diseases. This chapter will review the evidence for the role of EBV in each of these diseases and also focus on the features that are common to the different human chronic autoimmune diseases, with the aim of providing an explanation for what appears to be a unique role for EBV in the pathogenesis of these diseases