Epstetn-barr Virus

Considerable efforts have been made to develop suitable animal models to study EBV infection and pathogenesis; however, such attempts have had little success, because Old World primates carry their own EBV-like virus and cross-reacting antibody (Kieff, 1996). New World primates do not carry EBV homologues, however, and at least five species appear to be infectable by EBV, i.e, the cotton-topped tam& (Saguinus oedipus oedipus), white-lipped marmoset (Sagtlintar fmcicolEis) and common marmoset (CaZIithrix jacchus), owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus) and squirrel monkey (Saimipi sciareux). The most susceptible non-human primate for the carcinogenicity of EBV is the cottontopped tam&, This is, however, an endangered species and not widely available for use in laboratories. When common marmosets are infected with EBV, ody some animals develop an infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome (Wedderburn et al., 1984).