Does mononucleosis have a lytic cycle?

Mononucleosis, commonly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), does not have a lytic cycle in the traditional sense. Instead, EBV primarily establishes a latent infection in B cells, where it can remain dormant for extended periods. Under certain conditions, it can reactivate and enter a lytic phase, but this is not the typical behavior associated with the disease itself. Therefore, while lytic replication can occur, it is not the primary mechanism involved in mononucleosis.