[Epstein-Barr virus infection and acute cholestatic hepatitis]

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a herpesvirus whose only reservoir host is the human. It is transmitted by oropharyngeal secretions. Primary EBV infection is usually asymptomatic, but sometimes it causes infectious mononucleosis with fever, lymphadenopathies, splenomegaly and pharyngitis. Acute infection is diagnosed by serology (heterophile or specific antibodies). Immunofluorescence and molecular biologic techniques may be used to demonstrate the presence of EBV in biopsy specimens. Mild and transient elevations of serum aminotransferases are common, thus liver biopsy is usually not necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Severe cholestasis is rare (5%). We describe a patient with cholestatic hepatitis and acute EBV infection with atypical lymphocytes and positive anti-VCA IgM. The patient had taken drugs (ibuprofen, paracetamol and valerian). The bad evolution of the patient, the history of exposure to drugs, and the few cases of cholestatic hepatitis due to EBV infection reported, led us to consider liver biopsy. Molecular biologic techniques confirmed the presence of EBV in liver tissue however histologic features did not exclude the toxic aetiology or the concomitant effect of drugs and EBV infection.