2219 Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Presenting Primarily With Abnormal Liver Enzymes

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) usually causes asymptomatic infections in adults. In rare cases, infected individuals develop Chronic Active EBV (CAEBV), a systemic disorder characterized by elevated EBV DNA in blood and lymphocytes in tissues. We present a rare case of CAEBV in a 24-year-old woman with serology suggestive of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 24-year-old Guatemalan woman presented with RUQ abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and subjective chills for two weeks. Labs were significant for AST 1,167 U/L, ALT 1,049 U/L, total bilirubin 2.8 mg/dL, INR 1.2, ALP 1,118 U/L, GGT 123 U/L, EBV PCR > 1,000,000 copies, EBV IgM positive, positive ANA, serum IgG 3,690 mg/dL (normal 700 – 1,600), weakly positive smooth muscle antibody (SMA) titers 1:40 (negative < 1:20), and F-actin antibodies 42 units (positive ≥ 31 units). Mild scleral icterus and RUQ abdominal tenderness noted on physical exam. CT abdomen & pelvis showed hepatosplenomegaly. Liver biopsy (LB) showed panlobular hepatitis with focal parenchymal necrosis and a prominent sinusoidal T-lymphocyte dominant infiltrate, many of which were positive for EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBER) on in situ hybridization (Figure 1). Bone marrow biopsy (BMB) showed mildly hypocellular bone marrow without evidence of lymphoproliferative disorder. She left against medical advice (AMA) 6 days later and did not follow up in clinic. Five months later, she returned with similar complaints with pancytopenia and febrile neutropenia. A repeat BMB showed a hypercellular bone marrow with findings suggestive of CAEBV of T-cell type. She left AMA shortly after initiating steroids. A referral to the National Institute of Health for stem cell transplant (SCT) was unsuccessful as she was lost to follow up. DISCUSSION: Hepatic manifestations of CAEBV include acute hepatitis in 47% of patients in the United States with a mixed hepatocellular-cholestatic pattern and hepatomegaly. Her labs were suggestive of AIH such as elevated IgG, positive ANA, weakly positive SMA titers & elevated F-actin antibodies. Several cases report false positive serology suggestive of AIH in patients with active EBV. Inappropriate and possibly dangerous treatment could result if one is unaware of this association. Allogenic hematopoietic SCT is the only known curative therapy to date and without treatment, the average time to death after disease onset is 6.2 years. Given the high mortality associated with delay in treatment, prompt recognition and diagnosis of CAEBV is imperative.