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. 2023 Feb 1;133(3):e163669. doi: 10.1172/JCI163669

Figure 1. Schema of EBV-specific antibody responses during acute infection and hypothetical responses during SARS-CoV-2–related reactivation.

Figure 1

EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgM and IgG rise fairly early after acute infection, with VCA IgG levels persisting long-term. In contrast to VCA IgG levels, EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) IgG levels rise more slowly following acute infection, at a time when virus changes from the lytic to latent phase of infection. Early antigen-D (EA-D) IgG responses rise early following acute infection but decay, often to low or undetectable levels, over many months. The dashed lines represent potential changes to antibody levels following EBV reactivation secondary to an insult, such as acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. EBV EA-D IgG responses and perhaps increases in baseline levels of EBNA IgG may be observed 3–4 months following reactivation.