Preventing Both EBV Infection and EBV-Associated Diseases: Advances in Vaccine Research.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), the first identified human oncovirus, is associated with a variety of human malignancies. It is estimated that more than 90% of the adults worldwide are infected with EBV. In 2020, EBV-attributable cancers accounted for approximately 1.3%-1.9% of the global cancer burden. Currently, no licensed vaccine against EBV is available for clinical use. The success of COVID-19 vaccines has provided a framework and momentum for novel efforts against EBV, accelerating vaccine research and yielding several promising candidates, some of which have entered clinical trials. These advances are expected to contribute substantially to preventing EBV infection and managing EBV-associated diseases. In this review, we assess the current landscape and recent advances in EBV vaccine research, summarizing progress across different vaccine platforms. This overview intends to provide a theoretical foundation for the future development and translational application of EBV vaccines.