Issue: 2019 > December > case report

Epstein-Barr virus infection or malignant lymphoma – what you see is not what you get



CASE REPORT
I. De haes, J. Versluis, K.H. Lam, J.L.M. Jongen, J.K. Doorduijn, S. Kuipers
AbstractFull textPDF

Abstract

Infectious mononucleosis may mimic lymphoma, both clinically and histopathologically. We present a patient with neurological symptoms and lymphadenopathy, initially diagnosed as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) localisation based on lymph node pathology and a 30-fold higher EBV load in the CSF compared with serum. However, the patient fully recovered spontaneously and EBV became negative in both CSF and serum, suggestive of a dramatic presentation of EBV meningoencephalitis.