title: Severe respiratory insufficiency complicating Epstein-Barr virus infection: case report and review.
abstract: We report a case involving a young adult who had life-threatening bilateral pneumonitis in the course of an acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Because of severe hypoxemia, the patient required mechanical ventilation and additional oxygenation by an intravascular oxygenator. The patient was treated with corticosteroids and survived without sequelae. Severe pulmonary involvement associated with EBV infection is a rare but potentially fatal complication of infectious mononucleosis. Similar cases reported in the literature are reviewed, and the therapeutic options for this particular complication are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: von Segesser
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krause
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000821:virology; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D011239:Prednisolone