Epstein-Barr-Virus Immunity and Tissue Distribution in a Fatal Case of Infectious Mononucleosis

Abstract

INFECTIOUS mononucleosis is usually a self-limited lymphoproliferative disease caused by the Epstein–Barr virus.1 However, fatal cases do occur. Up until 1970 only 20 deaths due to infectious mononucleosis had been reported in which both hematologic and serologic (heterophil-antibody) diagnostic requirements were met.2 By far the most common cause of death was found to be neurologic complications, splenic rupture only accounting for 15 per cent of the deaths.2 It is clear that very efficient regulatory mechanisms must be operative during infectious mononucleosis, since the formidable lymphoid proliferation seen in this disease is almost invariably terminated and lymphoid tissue returns to its . . .