EBV Antibody Responses before, during and after Infectious Mononucleosis

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common human herpesvirus that infects 90% of adults worldwide and is most commonly known for causing infectious mononucleosis (mono). From our work studying EBV in a university setting since 2002, we know that college freshmen who have never been infected are at a high risk for mono. Having access to this population, we conducted a study to measure antibody responses to EBV antigens, such as BZLF1, p54 and EBNA-1, before, during and after EBV infection. Our results illustrate trends in antibody responses during the different periods of infection. From this observation, we were able to better estimate the number of days since the start of primary EBV infection. These findings form the basis for further research on the variability of antibody responses between individuals with different severities of illness.