title: Case report: a diagnostically challenging conjunctival mass caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.
abstract: We present a paediatric case of infectious mononucleosis in a 13-year old, manifesting with follicular conjunctivitis and a conjunctival mass in one eye with no evidence of leucocytosis on the blood count. The diagnosis was confirmed following surgical excision and biopsy. The case represented a diagnostic challenge due to its atypism and given the steady increase in the prevalence of EBV-related ocular diseases in the last years, this report can serve as an example to prompt earlier serological tests to identify the aetiology in similar cases. This is important because EBV can be treated with acyclovir early in the active viral phase.
authors.affiliation: Sussex Eye Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. jordan.chervenkoff@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jordan V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Chervenkoff
authors.affiliation: Sussex Eye Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. Saul.Rajak@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Saul N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Rajak
authors.affiliation: Sussex Eye Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. Paul.Brittain@bsuh.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Brittain
authors.affiliation: Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. David.Wright@bsuh.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Sussex Eye Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. Victoria.Barrett@bsuh.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Victoria J M
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003236:Conjunctivitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G