title: [Ocular involvement by Epstein-Barr virus: a difficult diagnosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A correlation has been made, often on the base of very scarce evidence, between several ocular clinical pictures and chronic infection due to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serology of the herpes group viruses is part of the investigations performed in uveitis cases without obvious etiology that are examined at our uveitis clinic. We retrospectively studied the clinical files of patients with an elevated EBV serology for the purpose of studying the type of ocular pathology presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to our criteria, 40 patients had an elevated EBV serology. Twenty-nine presented with a polyclonal elevation of antibodies against several viruses of the herpes group. Six showed an increase of anti-EBV antibodies only (2 uveitis cases without specific diagnosis, 2 HLA-B27 positive anterior uveitis cases, 1 pars planitis and 1 anterior uveitis with endothelitis).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If we exclude the ocular pathology occurring during acute primary infection (infections mononucleosis), it is difficult to find some correlation between a clinical picture and EBV infection. Before better diagnostic tools are available, the spectrum of ocular EBV disease will remain conjectural.
authors.affiliation: Service Universitaire d'Ophthalmologie Hôpital Jules Gonin Lausanne, Suisse.
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Bernasconi
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Herbort
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014605:Uveitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen
vernacular_title: Atteintes oculaires par le virus d'Epstein-Barr: un diagnostic difficile.