Distinctive EBV infection characteristics in children from a developing country.

•Epstein–Barr virus infection is characterized by low viral load in pediatric tonsils.•Unlike IM, full viral latency pattern is almost absent in primary infected patients.•Full latency pattern is displayed almost exclusively in healthy carriers.•Few cases exhibited lytic cycle antigens; it may be a strategy to avoid immune system.•The lack of symptoms in primary infection may be related to these characteristics.