Tue, 8 Sep 1992 12: 26:41 +0100
               Tue, 8 Sep 1992 12: 26:11 +0100
               Tue, 8 Sep 1992 15: 32:04 +0100
From: suter@VAX.MPIZ-KOELN.MPG.dbp.de
Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts
Subject: eppstein barr virus / herpes viruses
Date: 8 Sep 92 14:32:04 GMT
Distribution: bionet
Content-Identifier: 12
Original-To: methods@uk.ac.daresbury
Conversion: Prohibited

dear netters,

robert coelen wrote

-- In article <9209042327.AA25667@sol.UVic.CA> jdboer@SOL.UVIC.CA (Johan deBoer)
-- writes:
--
-->     Fellow moleculars,
-->
-->     We are considering some work with  the Epstein Barr virus, and have  a
-->     few questions about it that we hope someone is able to answer.
-->
-->     1)   What is the proper (latin  I guess) species, genus, organism etc.
-->          name for this virus?
--
--Epstein-Barr virus is the proper name for this organism. In virology
--we do not employ the genus/species concept with latin names and a common
--name as a substitute
--
-->     2)   The virus resides  in a cell line called MCUV5. What cell line is
-->          this, where does it come from, what does the name mean?
--
--I'll attempt to look that one up ! Anyone with ideas to go online to ATCC ?
-->
-->     3)   What are  the clinical  aspects, dangers,  risks, etc  associated
-->          with working with EBV?
-->
--Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a herpes virus and is an aetiological agent of
--glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis). The virus is also strongly
--implicated as having a causal relationship to African Burkitt's lymphoma
--and to nasopharyngeal cancer (note other cofactors are generally present !)
--The major route of transmission of EBV in young adults appears to be kissing
--with exchange of saliva (not the kiss on the cheek variety !). Evidence from
--cases on a submarine indicates that close contact (but not kissing) is not
--sufficient to transmit the virus. Whilst the virus appears not to be very
--contagious,
--one of the early cases of infectious mononucleosis attributed to EBV was in
--a technician in a lab where they worked with it. Present day biohazard hoods
--and good microbiological practices (gloves, alcohol wiping surfaces, etc) should
--be sufficient to keep you free of EBV. One of the Klein's worked with EBV for a
--lifetime and never seroconverted !
--
-->     Any  comments, or pointers  to as where  the information  can be found
-->     would be greatly appreciated.
-->
-->     Johan de Boer
-->     jdboer@sol.uvic.ca
-->     University of Victoria, BC
--
--Robert Coelen
--robert@arbo.microbiol.uwa.edu.au
--drop me an e-mail line if you are reading this (and therefore interested in
--virology)

i would like to ask the netters especially about the relationship of
herpes viruses with cancer. do people who have a chronic herpes 
infection (generally around the mouth, appears once year or so) have a 
higher risk to develop certain cancers ? and why ?
what is the general characteristic of herpes viruses (why are they in one 
group) ? 
could somebody point me to a comprehensive review on their life cycle (we
don't have many (if any) medical books in our library!).

cheers, clemens
----------------------------------> cut here <----------------------------------
Clemens Suter-Crazzolara, PhD
Max-Planck-Institut fuer Zuechtungsforschung
Abteilung Genetische Grundlagen der Zuechtungsforschung
Carl-von-Linne Weg 10
5000 Koeln 30
Tel. xx49-221-5062.221           fax. xx49-221-5062.21
suter@vax.mpiz-koeln.mpg.dbp.de
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