Several papers have recorded that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection can protect B-cells from apoptosis. In the present paper, we record an increase in apoptosis in an EBV-infected human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line (AW-Ramos), compared with its virus free counterpart (Ramos). The viral-infected cells died more rapidly by apoptosis during normal growth in culture: at 72h, Ramos cells had 8% apoptosis and AW-Ramos had 27% apoptosis. The EBV-infected cells were particularly sensitive to treatment with phorbol-12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu, 0.05 microgram/ml): at 72h, Ramos cells had 12% apoptosis and AW-Ramos had 42% apoptosis. DNA gel electrophoresis supported the morphological findings. Our results serve as a caveat against generalizations that may be made about prevention of apoptosis by EBV infection.