CD8A and systemic lupus erythematosus: In order to address whether increased EBV viral loads in SLE patients could be due to a T cell functional defect, we compared phenotypic and functional characteristics of lytic (BMLF1, BMRF1, BZLF1) and latent (EBNA3A and EBNA3B) EBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses between patients with SLE and healthy controls.