EBV antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ PFC responses emerge during the first year of primary EBV infection, with greatest responses toward immunodominant epitopes in both lytic (BZLF1, BRLF1 and BMLF1) and latent (EBNA3A-C) proteins, correlating to steady decline in PBMC and plasma viral loads. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is Epstein-Barr virus infection.