The EB Virus and Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Abstract

The Epstein-Barr (EB) virus induces various malignancies, including natural killer (NK) cell and T cell lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD), and eventually hemophagocytic syndrome. Chronic active EB virus infection is the background on which NK-LPD and T-LPD develop. As lethal outcomes, hemophagocytic syndrome and NK or T cell lymphoma occur at the age of about 20 years in approximately 50% of patients with chronic active EB virus infections. In this process, patients may have severe hypersensitivities to mosquito bites or hydroa vacciniforme (or hydroa vacciniforme-like eruptions). Therefore, these two conditions are important signs of chronic EB virus infections. Extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (nasal and nasal type) is another type of NK cell lymphoproliferative disease that is associated with EB virus infection. The skin is one of the predilection sites for the nasal type.