Epstein-Barr virus-associated large granular lymphocyte leukemia with cutaneous infiltration

A 36-year-old man had a high titer of antibody to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and recurrent necrotizing papules and nodules on his face and oral mucosa. The disease was diagnosed as CD3+4- 8+ large granular lymphocyte leukemia of T-cell origin. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that EBV DNA was present in CD8+ lymphocytes; EBV antigens were also observed in these lymphocytes. These findings demonstrated that EBV latently infected the leukemic cells and may have played a role in the pathogenesis of this disease. This is the first report of an association between EBV and large granular lymphocyte leukemia of T-cell origin.