Main Entry: Ep·stein–Barr virus

Pronunciation: \ˌep-ˌstīn-ˌbär-\

Function: noun

: a herpesvirus (species Human herpesvirus 4 of the genus Lymphocryptovirus) that causes infectious mononucleosis and is associated with Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma—abbreviation EBV; called also EB virus

Ep·stein \ˈep-ˌstīn\ , Michael Anthony (born 1921), and Barr \ˈbär\ , Yvonne M. (born 1932), British virologists. In 1964 Epstein and Barr isolated a herpesvirus in cultured Burkitt's lymphoma cells. This herpesvirus, since known as the Epstein-Barr virus, is now thought to be a cause of various types of human cancers, including Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Epstein also did research on tumor cell structure and other viruses.