Fatal Infectious Mononucleosis: A case report.
- Author:
Seung Ah LEE
1
;
Hyun Ee YIM
;
Young Yul YOU
;
Jang Hee KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. mrkjhk@yahoo.co.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
EBV;
Infectious mononucleosis;
autopsy;
hemophagocytic syndrome
- MeSH:
Autopsy;
B-Lymphocytes;
Cell Proliferation;
Child, Preschool;
Female;
Fever;
Herpesvirus 4, Human;
Humans;
In Situ Hybridization;
Infectious Mononucleosis*;
Liver;
Liver Failure;
Lymph Nodes;
Lymphocytes;
Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic;
Pancytopenia;
Spleen;
T-Lymphocytes
- From:Korean Journal of Legal Medicine
2007;31(2):188-191
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Infectious mononucleosis(IM) is a benign self-limiting disease and result from a polyclonal B cell proliferation secondary to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections. The infection is controlled by cytotoxic T cells triggered by EBV infected B cells. However, rare cases develop severe or fatal IM accompanied by hemophagocytic syndrome. We report a case of a 4-year-old girl who presented with high fever, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatic failure, pancytopenia and coagulopathy. Despite intensive treatment, the patient's condition deteriorated rapidly and died 3 days after admission. At autopsy, there was prominent infiltration of atypical lymphocytes with hemophagocytosis in multiple organs, especially liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Atypical lymphocytes were immunopositive for T cell markers and showed positive signal in EBV in situ hybridization.
