Animal models of Epstein Barr virus infection.

•EBV persists in mice with reconstituted human immune system components (HIS mice).•EBV induces lymphomas with similarities to those in patients in HIS mice.•HIS mice expand the same NK cells as children upon primary EBV infection.•Early differentiated NK cells restrict lytic EBV infection in HIS mice.•T cells restrict EBV infection and tumorigenesis in HIS mice.