Animal models have not been widely used for studying Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) pathogenesis. In large part this has been due to the lack of good animal model systems which reproduce the many different aspects of EBV infection in humans. Many aspects of EBV pathogenesis would benefit from an authentic animal model system, including studies about infectious mononucleosis, immune responses that control acute and persistent infection, mechanisms for immune evasion and persistent infection, natural reservoirs for infection in hematologic and epithelial cell compartments, transition to hematologic and epithelial cell malignancies, and vaccine development