Is Epstein-Barr virus Contagious?

Transmission of Epstein-Barr virus from Person to Person

Epstein-Barr virus is considered to be contagious between people. Generally the infectious agent may be transmitted by saliva, air, cough, fecal-oral route, surfaces, blood, needles, blood transfusions, sexual contact, mother to fetus, etc.
Epstein-Barr virus, although infectious, is not a genetic disease. It is not caused by a defective or abnormal gene.
The contagious disease, Epstein-Barr virus, can be transmitted:

• from the mother to her fetus.
• from person to person by saliva, air, coughing, contact, surfaces, fecal-oral route, etc.

Contagion summary:

Spread by saliva such as in kissing.

Contagiousness properties for Epstein-Barr virus:

  Contagious from kissing?: Yes

  Contagious from saliva?: Yes

About contagion and contagiousness:

Contagion and contagiousness refers to how easily the spread of Epstein-Barr virus is possible from one person to another. Other words for contagion include "infection", "infectiousness", "transmission" or "transmissability". Contagiousness has nothing to do with genetics or inheriting diseases from parents. For an overview of contagion, see Introduction to Contagion.

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