Epstein-Barr virus associated acute hepatitis with cross-reacting antibodies to other herpes viruses in immunocompetent patients: report of two cases.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis (IM) which is characterized by the triad of fever, sore throat, and lymphadenopathy. Self-limited, mild liver function test abnormalities are seen in IM. Acute hepatitis in primary EBV infection is uncommon. Serum transaminases are elevated but are less than fivefold the normal levels in most cases and rarely exceed 10 times the normal levels in primary EBV infections especially in elderly. Laboratory diagnosis of acute EBV infection is by serological assays confirming the presence of EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgM antibodies. Due to antigenic cross-reactivity with Herpes viruses, serological assays lack specificity; hence specific molecular diagnostic methods are required for confirmation of the etiology. The present report describes two cases of acute hepatitis caused by infection with EBV which had indistinguishable clinical features and biochemical markers from acute hepatitis caused by hepatotropic viruses such as hepatitis viruses A-E. The diagnosis of infection by EBV was confirmed by detection of EBV DNA in blood of both the patients and EBV DNA in the liver tissue of one of the patients.