Chronic active EBV infection

What it means

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is an uncommon outcome of EBV infection and may present as a waxing and waning or fulminant syndrome. Unlike acute infectious mononucleosis, wherein EBV establishes lifelong infection and survives by maintaining a delicate balance with the host as a latent infection, in chronic active EBV infection the host-virus balance is disturbed.

The mechanisms by which an EBV infection becomes chronic active are likely to be heterogenous and may involve host immune factors, viral factors, or both.

Rare diseases that can present with this3

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection · Persistent Epstein-Barr virus infection · Recurrent Epstein-Barr virus infection