title: Treatment of life-threatening Epstein-Barr virus infection with acyclovir.
abstract: Two pediatric patients with life-threatening Epstein-Barr virus infections were studied immunologically and treated with acyclovir [9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl) guanine]. The patient with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection who experienced massive hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, and failure to thrive demonstrated abnormalities of T and B lymphocytes. A second patient, with the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome, experienced a rapidly fatal course of acute Epstein-Barr virus infection which typifies this yet undefined immunodeficiency to Epstein-Barr virus. In each case, objective evidence for clinical improvement or antiviral effect of acyclovir treatment was not apparent. Abnormally productive Epstein-Barr virus infections did not appear to play a major role in the clinical syndromes observed. Current studies are focused on treatment of immunologically normal patients with early complicated Epstein-Barr virus infection.
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006147:Guanine; D000212:Acyclovir