What is (are) Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection ?
Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection is a rare condition in which the body makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes are an important part of the immune system because they help fight off diseases and protect the body from infection. About 95% of adults are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Most infections occur during childhood and do not cause any symptoms. EBV infection in adolescents or young adults can often result in infectious mononucleosis.  Rarely, people infected with EBV develop a life-threatening condition called chronic active EBV virus (CAEBV). Patients with CAEBV most often have fever, liver dysfunction, an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly), swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), and low numbers of platelets (thrombocytopenia). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has shown promise in the treatment of CAEBV.