Maybe you’ve never heard of the Epstein-Barr virus. But it knows all about you.
Chances are, it’s living inside you right now. About 95% of American adults are infected sometime in their lives. And once infected, the virus stays with you.
Most viruses, such as influenza, just come and go. A healthy immune system attacks them, kills them, and prevents them from sickening you again. Epstein-Barr and its cousins, including the viruses that cause chickenpox and herpes, can hibernate inside your cells for decades.
