Epstein-Barr virus–associated lymphoproliferative disorders

SummaryEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a member of the human herpesvirus family that was initially isolated from a cultured Burkitt lymphoma cell line by Epstein et al in 1964. Subsequent studies have proven that it is the causative agent in most cases of infectious mononucleosis. Primary infection is usually asymptomatic in childhood; but in adulthood, it is associated with a self-limiting infectious mononucleosis syndrome in approximately one third of the cases. EBV has been linked to many human neoplasms including hematopoietic, epithelial, and mesenchymal tumors. In this review, we will only discuss the EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders, dividing them into B-cell, T/NK-cell, and HIV-related lymphoproliferative disorders.