"Kissing Disease" Increases Cancer Risk
Viral Cause of Infectious Mononucleosis Linked to Hodgkin's Disease
Infectious mononucleosis, colloquially known as the "kissing disease," is caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection. Almost everyone becomes infected with the virus at some point in his or her lives, and those infected during childhood rarely become ill. But between one-third and half of people infected during adolescence and young adulthood develop the illness, mononucleosis.
Hodgkin's disease is a cancer of the lymph nodes, which are part of the immune system and help fight infection and cancer. Hodgkin's disease is one of the most common malignancies among teens and young adults.
Researchers have suspected that infection with Epstein-Barr virus sets the stage for Hodgkin's disease by weakening the immune cells that help fight off cancer.
We have shown a direct link between infection with EBV and tumors that contain EBV, Melbye says.
But in an editorial accompanying the Danish study, Johns Hopkins oncologist Richard F. Ambinder, MD, PhD, questions whether EBV infection still may play a role in lymphomas not found to contain the virus.
As evidence of this, he makes note of Hodgkin's disease that runs in families. He says that both lymphomas with and without EBV have been found to run in families. "Hence, it is not appropriate to presume that EBV-positive and EBV-negative lymphomas are distinct entities."
"Kissing Disease" Increases Cancer Risk
Viral Cause of Infectious Mononucleosis Linked to Hodgkin's Disease
The Kissing Disease
Infectious mononucleosis, colloquially known as the "kissing disease," is caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection. Almost everyone becomes infected with the virus at some point in his or her lives, and those infected during childhood rarely become ill. But between one-third and half of people infected during adolescence and young adulthood develop the illness, mononucleosis.
Hodgkin's disease is a cancer of the lymph nodes, which are part of the immune system and help fight infection and cancer. Hodgkin's disease is one of the most common malignancies among teens and young adults.
Researchers have suspected that infection with Epstein-Barr virus sets the stage for Hodgkin's disease by weakening the immune cells that help fight off cancer.
A Direct Link?
We have shown a direct link between infection with EBV and tumors that contain EBV, Melbye says.
But in an editorial accompanying the Danish study, Johns Hopkins oncologist Richard F. Ambinder, MD, PhD, questions whether EBV infection still may play a role in lymphomas not found to contain the virus.
As evidence of this, he makes note of Hodgkin's disease that runs in families. He says that both lymphomas with and without EBV have been found to run in families. "Hence, it is not appropriate to presume that EBV-positive and EBV-negative lymphomas are distinct entities."