Chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection associated with fever and interstitial pneumonitis. Clinical and serologic features and response to antiviral chemotherapy

Ann Intern Med. 1986 May;104(5):636-43. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-104-5-636.

Abstract

Two patients developed fever, interstitial pneumonitis, and pancytopenia associated with extremely high titers of antibody to replicative antigens of the Epstein-Barr virus. In contrast to most patients seropositive for Epstein-Barr virus, neither patient had an antibody response to the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen K polypeptide. In addition, virus isolated from one patient had a deletion of the B95-8 type in the EcoRI C region of the genome. An etiologic relation between Epstein-Barr virus replication and the clinical manifestations of this syndrome is further shown by the response of each patient to acyclovir therapy. These patients have a new Epstein-Barr-virus-associated syndrome and provide additional evidence that acyclovir may play a role in therapy for selected patients with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acyclovir / therapeutic use*
  • Adolescent
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Fever / etiology*
  • Genes, Viral
  • Herpesviridae Infections / complications*
  • Herpesviridae Infections / drug therapy
  • Herpesviridae Infections / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin A / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Lung / pathology
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / etiology*
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Acyclovir