Epstein barr virus in infants

Request an Appointment with codes: Infectious Disease. Refer a Patient. Accepted Insurance Plans. Epstein-Barr virus also known as herpesvirus 4 is very common. Most people become infected with Epstein-Barr virus at some point in their lives — and many will never know they have it. Conclusions: the abrupt onset of the infection after a delay of 8 months is a remarkable feature of primary EBV infection during infancy, which implicates a protective role for maternal antibodies.

Persisting maternal antibodies may additionally serve to contain the infection once it occurred. This may partly explain why, unlike during adolescence, primary EBV infection early in life is usually asymptomatic.

Abstract Background: Epstein-Barr virus EBV has been shown to be the cause of infectious mononucleosis IM and has more complicated associations with several malignant diseases. After administration of 1 dose of vitamin K, his PT decreased to Ultrasound abdomen revealed hepatosplenomegaly without focal lesion. There was no ascites or lymphadenopathy, no dilatation of bile ducts and the gall bladder was normal.

Hepatitis B serologies and cytomegalovirus CMV antibody tests were negative. The HIV antibody test was non-reactive and the haemoculture was negative. Most EBV infections in children are asymptomatic. Primary infection in adolescents and adults results in acute infectious mononucleosis syndrome.

In young adults, the complications of severe acute hepatitis from EBV infection are uncommon. In this case, we suspected that the patient had a vitamin K deficiency because he had never received it since birth as other new-borns that are delivered in a hospital. The lack of vitamin K may partially account for his severe hepatitis after being infected with EBV.

Treatment of EBV is mainly supportive and symptomatic, and most hepatic conditions resolve spontaneously. In severe cases, steroids and antiviral medications such as acyclovir and ganciclovir may be used; however the efficacy of these medications has not been proven through randomised trials.

Physicians should base their diagnosis of EBV infection on clinical manifestations, virological and serological evidence, and the exclusion of conditions that are related to extrahepatic biliary obstruction. Indications for the use of corticosteriods in EBV infections include marked tonsillar inflammation with impending airway obstruction, massive splenomegaly, myocarditis, haemolytic anaemia or haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Competing interests: None. Patient consent: Obtained. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. BMJ Case Rep. Published online Nov 1. Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Correspondence to Dr Peninnah Oberdorfer, ht.

Background Hepatic involvement is a common presentation of EBV infection.