Systemic EBV T-cell lymphoproliferative disease of young adults

ABSTRACT

T/NK cell proliferative EBV associated disease is a rare one which is more common in eastern Asian countries. EBV is originally associated with B cells, and EBV associated T cell lymphoma is so rare. Hence we decided to describe a patient treated with misleading diagnoses such as TB and sarcoidosis for almost two years. The liver was biopsied after admission in this center, and gastric and colonic biopsy was also performed due to gastrointestinal bleeding. Diffuse infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells was seen, especially lymphocytes some of which were atypical. T lymphocyte markers were seen in these cells by immunohistochemical staining. Further studies demonstrated T lymphocytes associated with EBV to be positive which is very rare event. Although going under chemotherapy, there were no response and the patient died