title: Onset of alopecia areata after Epstein-Barr virus infectious mononucleosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) is incompletely known. A positive family history in some points to a genetic predisposition, and discordance of the disease in identical twins suggests environmental triggers exist.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a possible environmental trigger for AA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We queried the National AA Registry for all patients who self-reported sudden onset of AA with concurrent EBV mononucleosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 6256 individuals registered between December 2001 and August 2007, 1586 patients reported an environmental trigger-including 12 individuals who had an EBV infection within 6 months before the onset of AA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study relies on self-reported data, and not all medical records confirming EBV infections were available for review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between EBV and AA is worthy of further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030-4009, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duvic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology