The suppression of Epstein-Barr virus infection in vitro occurs after infection but before transformation of the cell.

It has been demonstrated that T cells from humans can suppress the transformation of EBV-infected B cells in vitro. In this paper, studies are presented on the mechanism of the suppression. The T cells do not act against the virus itself nor the infection process. They appear to suppress the outgrowth of B cells after they are infected but before they are transformed. The T cells are much less effective in suppressing the outgrowth of the B cells once the latter have transformed (24th post-infection). The significance of these observations to EBV infection and other forms of T cell-mediated anti-EBV immunity is discussed.