Granulomatous reaction in peripheral T-cell proliferative disease: a case report.

A 52-year-old male presented with a prolonged fever, anemia, weight loss, hepatosplenomegaly, and elevated serum level of alkaline phosphatase. The patient developed septicemia, metabolic acidosis, and died 3 days after admission. Liver necropsy, tissue showed group C, peripheral T-cell proliferative disease. Epstein-Barr virus genomes were demonstrated in the nuclei of these abnormal T-cell lymphocytes. Granulomatous reaction was observed in the liver and bone marrow. Stains and cultures for mycobacteria and fungi gave negative results. Granulomatous reaction is believed to be induced by cytokines which were released from the T-cell lymphocytes that infiltrated in the liver and bone marrow.