Epstein-barr virus, frequently referred to as ebv, is a member of the herpesvirus family and one of the most common human viruses. Most people become infected with ebv sometime during their lives. When infection with ebv occurs during adolescence or young adulthood, it causes infectious mononucleosis 35-50% of the time. Ebv also establishes a lifelong dormant infection in some cells of the body.
