EBV exhibits relatively low genetic mutation rates compared to RNA viruses, with two major types identified: type one, widespread globally, and type two, more common in Africa and parts of Asia. Genome sequencing has revealed geographic distributions of certain latency genes, such as LMP1, although the implications for disease spread remain unclear. Latency in EBV involves active infection in B cells, where the virus expresses proteins that manipulate cellular functions, blurring the lines between resting and active states.
