Epstein Barr Virus

[Guest guest]

http://www.healthcentral.com/BestDoctors/BestDoctorsFulltext.cfm?

ID=42839 & storytype=BestDocs

Once You Have The Epstein-Barr Virus, Can It Go Away?

October 16, 2000

The illness from the virus goes away. It may last only a week or as

long as a couple of months, depending on how ill you become, which is

related to very specific factors unique to you as an individual.

However, most people never get rid of the virus. Because Epstein Barr

virus (EBV) is a member of the herpes virus family, once you are

infected with that family of viruses, it usually stays in your body.

It stays in a latent or dormant stage, unless you have some unique

circumstances, such as becoming immuno-suppressed after organ

transplantation, or having some type of cancer or other immuno-

suppressant. (Patty's Note: such as breast implants????) Under

those circumstances, it can and will make you ill again, if the virus

gets reactivated.

An important area of research now is how to identify a reactivated or

an ongoing infection. Unlike chicken pox or herpes simplex, there are

no obvious blisters, or other obvious things you can find on

examination that tells you the virus has been reactivated.

Most people who have reactivation probably never know it, while

others do become ill.

Is There Any Treatment For Epstein-Barr Virus?

October 16, 2000

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is part of the herpes family of viruses,

which has at least eight known viruses. They are all similar in

structure and similar in their modes of infection and replication and

they all stay dormant.

While you can inhibit the virus from replicating, you don't get rid

of it. With some forms of antiviral therapy you can inhibit it from

producing new virus particles that infect other cells.

You can also ameliorate the course of infectious mono, and other

illnesses associated with EBV, with anti-inflammatory drugs. So while

you cannot cure it, you can intervene.