For Healthcare Providers

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can cause illnesses and complications aside from infectious mononucleosis. People with weakened immune systems may develop more severe symptoms and complications from EBV infection. They may also have more severe illness caused by EBV infection.

Nervous System

EBV infection can affect a person’s brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

It can cause conditions such as—

• Viral meningitis (swelling of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord)
• Encephalitisexternal icon (swelling of the brain)
• Optic neuritisexternal icon (swelling of the eye nerve)
• Transverse myelitisexternal icon (swelling of the spinal cord)
• Facial nerve palsiesexternal icon (paralysis of facial muscles)
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (an immune system disease)
• Acute cerebellar ataxiaexternal icon (sudden uncoordinated muscle movement)
• Hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the body)
• Sleep disorders
• Psychosesexternal icon

Hematological System

EBV infection can affect a person’s blood and bone marrow. The virus can cause the body to produce an excessive number of white blood cells called lymphocytes (lymphocytosis).

EBV can also weaken the immune system, making it more difficult for the body to fight infection.

Examples of some of these conditions include—

• Neutropenia with secondary infections
• Hemophagocytic syndrome (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis)
• Acquired hypogammaglobulinemia
• X-linked lymphoproliferative disease

Other Conditions

EBV infection can also cause—

• Pneumonia (injury of the lungs)
• Interstitial lung diseaseexternal icon (a large group of disorders, most of which cause scarring of lung tissue)
• Pancreatitisexternal icon (swelling of the pancreas)
• Myocarditisexternal icon (swelling of the heart muscle)
• Oral cavity-oral hairy leukoplakia (raised, white patches on the tongue), which is usually seen in people infected with HIV

Cancers associated with EBV infection include—

• Burkitt’s lymphomaexternal icon (cancer of the lymphatic system)
• Nasopharyngeal carcinomaexternal icon (cancer of the upper throat)
• Hodgkin’s diseaseexternal icon and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomaexternal icon (cancers of the lymphatic system)
• Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (white blood cells are produced in excess)
• Other tumors including leiomyosarcomas (cancer in the soft tissue) and T-cell lymphomas

Complications of EBV infection include—

• Peritonsillar abscessesexternal icon (pus-filled tissue near the tonsils)
• Acute bacterial sinusitisexternal icon (bacterial infection of the sinus cavities)
• Suppurative lymph nodes (swelling of lymph nodes)
• Mastoiditisexternal icon (bacterial infection of the mastoid bone of the skull)
• Sialadenitisexternal icon (swelling and injury of salivary glands)
• Blockage of the air passages in the nose and throat