Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most widespread human viruses, with over 80% of the general population exposed by young adulthood, as determined by antibody studies. Initial infection usu ally occurs during childhood or the teenage years. It is clear that, de pending on the age of the recipient, clinical manifestations of the primary infection can vary. It has been known for 20 years that EBV is the etiologic agent of acute infectious mononucleosis (IM) and is also closely associated with African Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) and naso it is a pharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). There is increasing evidence that factor in the etiology of B-celllymphomas, which arise at a high fre quency in immunodeficient populations. EBV may also contribute to the development of autoimmune disease. Thus, this virus continues to attract world-wide attention. The major target cell for EBV infection has now been conclusively identified as the complement receptor-type 2 (CR2), the Cd/Cdg 3 3 receptor on B lymphocyte. It is apparent, however, that other cells also can become infected by EBV, such as epithelial cells in the parotid gland and other epithelial cells in the upper respiratory tract. This might help account for the EBV-assodated carcinomas of the upper respiratory tract. The first in a series of international symposia on EBV -associated diseases focused primarily on Burkitt's-type lymphomas or on NPC (Kyoto 1977; Dusseldorf 1980; Kuala Lumpur 1982) and emphasized mainly the clinical elements of these diseases. Subsequent symposia (Loutraki, 1984; St."

Since its discovery as the cause of infectious mononucleosis in 1964, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been etiologically implicated in an increasing number of human diseases. Generally considered the first human oncogenic virus because of a number of studies linking it with Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), as well as its documented oncogenicity in nonhuman primates, EBVhas served as a model for identifying subsequent candidate oncogenic viruses and the stimulus for Evans' revision of the Henle-Koch postulates to accommodate the problems in proving viral oncogenicity in humans. Research on the role of EBV in human cancer was particularly en hanced (a) by the pioneering work of Werner and Gertrude Henle, and (b) by the coordinated efforts of the Special Virus Leukemia Program and its successors, the Special Virus Cancer Program and the Virus Cancer Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Initiated by Dr. Frank J. Rauscher, who subsequently became director of the Ncr and is now Vice-President of the American Cancer Society, and expanded by Dr. John B. Moloney, whose contributions to cancer research were honored at this Second International Symposium on EBV and Associated Malignant Diseases, these NCI contract-sup ported programs brought together investigators from all over the world to participate in a joint effort to unravel the mystery of EBV behavior and pathogenicity. It was these programs that gave us the opportunity to work with such outstanding people as Professor Yohei Ito, to whom this book is dedicated."

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), isolated in 1966, continues to draw worldwide attention as an important human pathogen. Its impor tance is largely related to the continuing accumulation of evidence that implicates EBV as an etiological factor for certain types of human cancer. More recent investigations on this virus have focused on the identity of the viral genes responsible for the different disease mani festations observed following viral infection. It is hoped that by thorough investigation of this virus, clues to how cancer develops from a normal cell will surface. In addition, many of the gene products are now being exploited for the development of new and more sensitive tests for the diagnosis and clinical management of individu als with EBV -associated diseases. Thus, studies on this virus continue to provide new information of importance to our understanding of the malignant process. In an effort to attract both basic and clinical scientists to the same meeting for purposes of scientific exchange and fostering a closer interaction between these individuals, a series of international symposia was initiated in 1984. The first meeting was held in Loutraki, Greece, and was attended by approximately 100 participants. The second international symposium was held in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1986, and was attended by approximately twice as many partici pants as attended the Loutraki meeting."

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), isolated in 1966, continues to draw worldwide attention as an important human pathogen. Its impor tance is largely related to the continuing accumulation of evidence that implicates EBV as an etiological factor for certain types of human cancer. More recent investigations on this virus have focused on the identity of the viral genes responsible for the different disease mani festations observed following viral infection. It is hoped that by thorough investigation of this virus, clues to how cancer develops from a normal cell will surface. In addition, many of the gene products are now being exploited for the development of new and more sensitive tests for the diagnosis and clinical management of individu als with EBV -associated diseases. Thus, studies on this virus continue to provide new information of importance to our understanding of the malignant process. In an effort to attract both basic and clinical scientists to the same meeting for purposes of scientific exchange and fostering a closer interaction between these individuals, a series of international symposia was initiated in 1984. The first meeting was held in Loutraki, Greece, and was attended by approximately 100 participants. The second international symposium was held in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1986, and was attended by approximately twice as many partici pants as attended the Loutraki meeting.

Since its discovery as the cause of infectious mononucleosis in 1964, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been etiologically implicated in an increasing number of human diseases. Generally considered the first human oncogenic virus because of a number of studies linking it with Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), as well as its documented oncogenicity in nonhuman primates, EBVhas served as a model for identifying subsequent candidate oncogenic viruses and the stimulus for Evans' revision of the Henle-Koch postulates to accommodate the problems in proving viral oncogenicity in humans. Research on the role of EBV in human cancer was particularly en hanced (a) by the pioneering work of Werner and Gertrude Henle, and (b) by the coordinated efforts of the Special Virus Leukemia Program and its successors, the Special Virus Cancer Program and the Virus Cancer Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Initiated by Dr. Frank J. Rauscher, who subsequently became director of the Ncr and is now Vice-President of the American Cancer Society, and expanded by Dr. John B. Moloney, whose contributions to cancer research were honored at this Second International Symposium on EBV and Associated Malignant Diseases, these NCI contract-sup ported programs brought together investigators from all over the world to participate in a joint effort to unravel the mystery of EBV behavior and pathogenicity. It was these programs that gave us the opportunity to work with such outstanding people as Professor Yohei Ito, to whom this book is dedicated."

It has been slightly more than two decades since the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was discovered by Prof. M.A. Epstein and his colleagues at the University of Bristol in their search for the causative agent of Burkitt's lymphoma. For several years EBV was a "virus in search of a disease." The first documentation that EBV was pathogenic for humans was in 1969 when Drs. Gertrude and Werner Henle identified it as the causative agent for infectious mononucleosis. Seroepidemiologic and biochemical studies subsequently linked EBV to Burkitt's lymphoma (BL), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and more recently to the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome. With its widespread pattern of infection and a predilection for producing clinical signs and symptoms in only certain individuals, EBV has provided a model for many other candidate oncogenic viruses, including papilloma viruses, herpes simplex, and HTLV/LAV. In 1975, an international workshop was sponsored by the National Cancer Institute to address the problem of EBV production, thus facilitating basic research on the virus. This proved to be the last international meeting on EBV for almost a decade. In the past, progress in both clinical and basic research on EBV has been presented in two types of international meetings, the international herpesvirus workshops devoted primarily to basic research on both human and animal herpesviruses, and the international symposia on NPC, in which EBV-related studies were interspersed with clinical, epidemiologic and other etiologic aspects of this important human neoplasm.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most widespread human viruses, with over 80% of the general population exposed by young adulthood, as determined by antibody studies. Initial infection usu ally occurs during childhood or the teenage years. It is clear that, de pending on the age of the recipient, clinical manifestations of the primary infection can vary. It has been known for 20 years that EBV is the etiologic agent of acute infectious mononucleosis (IM) and is also closely associated with African Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) and naso it is a pharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). There is increasing evidence that factor in the etiology of B-celllymphomas, which arise at a high fre quency in immunodeficient populations. EBV may also contribute to the development of autoimmune disease. Thus, this virus continues to attract world-wide attention. The major target cell for EBV infection has now been conclusively identified as the complement receptor-type 2 (CR2), the Cd/Cdg 3 3 receptor on B lymphocyte. It is apparent, however, that other cells also can become infected by EBV, such as epithelial cells in the parotid gland and other epithelial cells in the upper respiratory tract. This might help account for the EBV-assodated carcinomas of the upper respiratory tract. The first in a series of international symposia on EBV -associated diseases focused primarily on Burkitt's-type lymphomas or on NPC (Kyoto 1977; Dusseldorf 1980; Kuala Lumpur 1982) and emphasized mainly the clinical elements of these diseases. Subsequent symposia (Loutraki, 1984; St."