The association of the Epstein-Barr virus with malignant lymphoma.

The Epstein-Barr virus, a human herpesvirus, has been found in the neoplastic cells of numerous lymphoid malignancies, including Burkitt's lymphoma, immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders, nasal T/NK lymphoma, and Hodgkin's disease. The available data suggest that Epstein-Barr virus contributes to the pathogenesis of many of these neoplasms but is not directly linked to the etiology of any of these lymphomas.