Viral gene products possibly implicated in pathogenesis include IL6 and CC chemokines vMIP1 and vMIP11, as well as a chemokine receptor. KSHV have pirated many genes from the eukaryotic genome, which then mutate quickly, to develop properties different to the cellular counterpart. Transfomed spindle cells lose viral sequences in culture but still cause tumors in nude mice. Exactly the proportion who develop myeloma. Infection persists for life with virus regularly shed by salivary gland.
Salivary fluid transmits the virus e.g. infected eating utensils and kissing.
It is a mark of how well adapted to us this virus is,that it can persist for a lifetime in an asymptomatic state. T cells effectively control it. In vitro it is the most potent transforming virus known. A link with Burkitt's lymphoma was first established when virus isolated from cultured Burkitt's cells, and linked to the disease sero-epidemiologically. EBV DNA can be isolated from tumours, viral specific antigens can be detected in the tumours, infection with EBV induces a lymphoma like disease in new world primates.