The rhesus lymphocryptovirus (rhesus LCV, RLV, Cercopithecine HV 15) is a gamma-1 herpesvirus

Lymphocryptovirus

Lymphocryptoviruses are a genus of herpesviruses that include the human Epstein-Barr virus as well as viruses that infect both Old World monkeys and New World monkeys...

 in the same genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 as the Epstein-Barr virus

Epstein-Barr virus

The Epstein–Barr virus , also called human herpesvirus 4 , is a virus of the herpes family and is one of the most common viruses in humans. It is best known as the cause of infectious mononucleosis...

 (EBV). Its genetic

Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....

 structure has been fully sequenced and found to be highly homologous with that of EBV (65%). The structural proteins are highly conserved, while genes expressed during EBV latent infection are much less well conserved. Even in cases where genes have low homology

Homology (biology)

Homology forms the basis of organization for comparative biology. In 1843, Richard Owen defined homology as "the same organ in different animals under every variety of form and function". Organs as different as a bat's wing, a seal's flipper, a cat's paw and a human hand have a common underlying...

, the rLCV infection genes are functionally interchangeable with EBV genes. In nature, RLV infects rhesus macaques. RLV infection in rhesus monkeys resembles EBV infection in humans in several respects:

• oral transmission,
• atypical lymphocytosis
  Lymphocytosis
  Lymphocytosis is an increase in the number or proportion of lymphocytes in the blood, usually detected when a complete blood count is routinely obtained. Lymphocytes normally represent 20 to 40% of circulating white blood cells...
  
  ,
• lymphadenopathy
  Lymphadenopathy
  Lymphadenopathy is a term meaning "disease of the lymph nodes." It is, however, almost synonymously used with "swollen/enlarged lymph nodes". It could be due to infection, auto-immune disease, or malignancy....
  
  ,
• activation of CD23
  CD23
  CD23, also known as Fc epsilon RII, or FcεRII, is the "low-affinity" receptor for IgE, an antibody isotype involved in allergy and resistance to parasites, and is important in regulation of IgE levels. Unlike many of the antibody receptors, CD23 is a C-type lectin...
  
  + peripheral blood B cells,
• sustained serologic responses to lytic and latent
  Virus latency
  Virus latency is the ability of a pathogenic virus to lie dormant within a cell, denoted as the lysogenic part of the viral life cycle. A latent viral infection is a type of persistent viral infection which is distinguished from a chronic viral infection...
  
   EBV antigens,
• latent infection in the peripheral blood, and
• virus persistence in oropharyngeal secretions.

These features make the rhesus lymphocryptovirus potentially useful for studying the pathogenesis

Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis of a disease is the mechanism by which the disease is caused. The term can also be used to describe the origin and development of the disease and whether it is acute, chronic or recurrent...

, prevention, and treatment of EBV infection and associated oncogenesis.