Epstein-Barr Virus and Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is recognized as potentially one of the most devastating complications of organ transplantation. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with the majority of PTLD cases. The entity referred to as EBV-associated PTLD encompasses a wide spectrum of clinical conditions characterized by lymphoproliferation after transplantation. These syndromes range from uncomplicated infectious mononucleosis to true malignancies (1–3). Disease may be nodal or extranodal, localized, often in the allograft, or widely disseminated.