Lytic Replication and Reactivation from B Cells Is Not Required for Establishing or Maintaining Gammaherpesvirus Latency In Vivo

Abstract

Gammaherpesviruses establish lifelong chronic infections in cells of the immune system and place infected hosts at risk for developing lymphomas and other diseases. It is hypothesized that gammaherpesviruses must initiate acute infection in these cells to establish and maintain long-term infection, but this has not been directly tested.