Epstein-barr virus(EBV)belongs to the human herpesvirus gamma subfamily and infects more than 90%of the world's population.EBV infection causes millions of new cases of noncancer and more than 200000 new cases of cancer each year.Human B cells and epithelial cells are the main host cells of EBV.The invasion mechanism of EBV into host cells is very complex,which requires multiple viral envelope glycoproteins to cooperate with different host factors to determine its host tropism.In recent years,scientists have deepened their research on the mechanism of EBV infection,which provides new ideas for the precise prevention and treatment of EBV-related diseases.This review will systematically introduce the current status and prospects of the research on the mechanism of EBV infection.