Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2025
An Efficient and Simple Method to Establish NK and T Cell Lines from Patients with Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection
Published on: March 30, 2018
[Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection in the gastrointestinal tract: a clinicopathological study of three
1Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital (the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing 210029, China.
Insights
Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) of the digestive tract is a rare disorder. It can mimic inflammatory bowel disease and may transform into extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, necessitating careful diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) is a rare condition.
- Digestive tract involvement presents unique diagnostic challenges.
- CAEBV can mimic inflammatory bowel disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinicopathological features of CAEBV in the digestive tract.
- To discuss differential diagnosis of digestive tract CAEBV.
- To highlight the potential for CAEBV to transform into lymphoma.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 3 CAEBV cases in the digestive tract.
- Histology, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization were used.
- Literature review was conducted.
Main Results:
- All 3 patients were young males with fever, diarrhea, and elevated EBV viral load.
- Endoscopy revealed intestinal ulcers and esophageal nodular lesions in one case.
- One patient progressed to extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma.
Conclusions:
- Digestive tract CAEBV is a rare lymphoid proliferative disorder.
- It can transform into extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma.
- Accurate diagnosis requires integrating clinical, pathological, and laboratory data.
Abstract:
Objective: To study the clinicopathological features of chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) in the digestive tract and to discuss its differential diagnosis. Methods: The clinical data of 3 cases of CAEBV in the digestive tract diagnosed in Jiangsu Province Hospital (the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University), Nanjing, China from December 2018 to August 2020 were collected. Three cases of CAEBV were evaluated using histology, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The related literature was reviewed. Results: Three patients were all males, aged 33, 32 and 31 years, respectively. All patients had a history of intermittent fever and repeated diarrhea for the past years with persistent increase in EB viral load (DNA copies) in peripheral blood. Endoscopically, intestinal tract was involved in all cases with ulcers, and esophagus was involved concurrently in 1 case showing nodular lesions. Microscopically, there were moderate polymorphic inflammatory infiltrate with lymphoid component displaying no or mild atypia in all cases and deep fissuring ulcers in one case (case 3). All tumor cells were positive for CD3 and TIA-1, and negative for CD56 and CD5. Cases 1 and 2 showed CD4-/CD8-, whereas case 3 displayed CD4+/CD8-. In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA was positive in all 3 cases. Follow-up data showed that cases 1 and 2 were free of disease progression at the end of follow-up (16 months and 17 months, respectively). However, case 3 progressed to extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma 22 months after the initial diagnosis. Conclusions: CAEBV of the digestive tract is a rare lymphoid proliferative disorder with potential transformation to extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma. It is a great mimicker of inflammatory bowel disease, especially in small biopsy specimens. It is important to integrate clinicopathological, radiological and laboratory data to avoid misdiagnosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:28Peptic Ulcer Disease III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Few clinical manifestations differentiate gastric ulcers from duodenal ulcers. Distinctions in the location, timing, and pain relief are crucial for healthcare providers in differentiating between gastric and duodenal ulcers during clinical assessments.
01:17Gastritis-II: Pathophysiology
In acute gastritis, the gastric mucosa becomes swollen and red and undergoes superficial erosion. Superficial ulceration may lead to bleeding.
In chronic gastritis, persistent or repeated insults lead to chronic inflammatory changes and, eventually, thinning or atrophy of the gastric tissue.
Gastritis can stem from various causes, each...
01:21Barrett Esophagus-II: Clinical Manifestations and Management
To diagnose Barrett's esophagus, healthcare providers often recommend an endoscopy for those showing symptoms of acid reflux. The procedure...
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are: