Around 90% of people are infected with Epstein-Barr virus at some point in their lifetimes. For most of them, the virus causes a mild, transient illness or no symptoms at all. But for a subset of people, Epstein-Barr can eventually contribute to chronic illnesses, such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, or to the development of cancer.
Now, new research uncovers 22 human genes that might make an Epstein-Barr infection more likely to turn into a chronic condition.
