Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection in patients with Chediak-Higashi syndrome.

The results of clinical and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serological studies on nine Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) patients are reported. Persistently elevated antibodies to the viral capsid antigen (VCA) and the restricted component of the early antigen complex (EA-R) developed in six patients who experienced primary EBV infection which either remained silent or were accompanied by clinical signs of infectious mononucleosis (IM). Hepatosplenomegaly and moderate lymphadenopathy, both clinical signs of the accelerated phase, remained detectable in the six patients for a long period of time after seroconversion. The clinical, serological, and histopathological observations are suggestive of a nonmalignant lymphoproliferative disease and consistent with an immunodeficiency to EBV. The abnormal serological responses to EBV in CHS are therefore considered manifestations of a chronic active EBV infection which may result in lethal lymphoproliferation. The three as yet seronegative CHS patients revealed no signs of the accelerated lymphoproliferative phase of the syndrome.