• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 1999

Background： Infectious mononucleosis is a disease precipitated by Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) in mostly children, some seronegative adolescents and young adults comprising clinical symptoms such as fever, lymphadenopathy, and pharyngitis as well as laboratory findings such as hetero-phil antibodies and atypical lymphocytosis. It is confirmed by serologic test for EBV. Materials and Methods： A retrospective evaluation of 26 patients who diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis was peformed through the analysis of typical symptom, sign and laboratory findings. Results : Infectious mononucleosis occurs mostly at 3 to 10 years (74.9%), common symptoms and signs are fever, cervical lymphadenopathy, tonsillar enlargement and exudate. Positive ratio of atypical Lymphocyte(>10%) and hetrophil antibodies are 61.5%, 35.2% respectively, it is less diagnostic. EBV-viral capsid antigen(VCA) IgM are positive in all cases, so it is most diagnostic findings. Conclusion： Infectious mononucleosis should be considered as a cause of cervical lymphadenopathy and pharyngotonsillitis in children and young adults, the assessment of EBV-VCA IgM is necessary for the diagnosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.987-991
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• 2008

Purpose : Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD), also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL), is a self-limited disease characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy and fever. The etiology of KFD remains unknown; however, the self-limiting nature of HNL suggests the cause of this disease could be viral infection. For this reason, several viruses have been evaluated as possible etiologies of HNL, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6), human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), and cytomegalovirus (CMV). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of EBV and HHV6 to HNL. Methods : Data pertaining to 51 cases with biopsy-confirmed HNL were collected between January 1999 and December 2005, from the Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea. The clinical records-including data regarding age, gender, duration of fever, and lymph node involvementwere reviewed retrospectively. The in situ hybridization (ISH) assay was performed by EBER PNA probe (Dako, Capinteria, CA, USA), and immunohistochemistry testing was performed with anti-HHV type 6 monoclonal antibodies (Chemicon, Temecula, CA, USA). Results : The HNL patients in this study were 24 males and 27 females, ranging in age from seven to 61 years (median: 25.9). ISH for EBV was positive in 8/51 (15.7%) biopsies, and immunohistochemistry for HHV6 was positive in 15/51 (29.4%) biopsies. Serologic analysis of EBV IgM was performed in 23 cases; only one patient was positive for EBV IgM and EBV ISH. Conclusion : Our study could not provide supportive evidence of a viral pathogenesis for HNL; therefore, cases of HNL may not have a dominant viral cause. However, some rare exceptional cases may have been caused by viral infection.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.121-127
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• 1998

Purposes : This study was performed to evaluate the seropositivities and levels of term pregnant women and their neonates, and the transplacental transfer rate of maternal Epstein-Barr Virus-specific IgG(VCA IgG and EBNA IgG) from term pregnant women to their neonates. Subjects and Methods : During Jan. 1, 1997 to Mar. 31. 1997, we collected the 42 pairs of sera from pregnant women and umbilical cord of their neonates in Korea University Ansan Hospital. The serum levels of VCA IgG and EBNA IgG were measured by the ELISA method. Results : 1) The seropositivities of VCA IgG were 100% in mothers and neonates. There was no statistical difference of mean VCA IgG levels between mothers and neonates. There was significant correlation of VCA IgG levels between maternal sera and neonatal umbilical cord sera(correlation coefficient r=0.5214, P<0.001). 2) The seropositivities of EBNA IgG were 100% in mothers and neonates. There was no significant difference of the mean EBNA IgG levels between mothers and neonates. There was significant correlation of EBNA IgG levels between maternal sera and neonatal umbilical cord sera (correlation coefficient r=0.7244, P<0.001). 3) There was no correlation between VCA IgG and EBNA IgG levels of maternal sera. Conclusion : Seropositivities of EBV CA IgG and EBNA IgG of term-pregnant women and their neonates were 100% and no significant differences of antibody levels were found in two groups. It seems that EBV Antibody levels in Korean mothers and neonates were high enough to protect primary EBV infection during early infancy.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-64
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• 2013

Infection-induced acute hepatitis complicated with acute pancreatitis is associated with hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus or hepatitis E virus. Although rare, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection should be considered also in the differential diagnosis if the patient has acute hepatitis combined with pancreatitis. We report a case of EBV infection with cholestatic hepatitis and pancreatitis with review of literature. An 11-year-old female was admitted due to 1-day history of abdominal pain and vomiting without any clinical symptoms of infectious mononucleosis. Diagnosis of reactivated EBV infection was made by the positive result of viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgM, VCA IgG, Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen and heterophile antibody test. We performed serologic tests and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography to exclude other viral or bacterial infection, autoimmune disorder, and structural problems. The patient's symptoms recovered rapidly and blood chemistry returned to normal with conservative treatment similar to previously reported cases.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2012

Purpose: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) hepatitis is a usually asymptomatic and self-limiting disease in immunocompetent patients. However, the range of severity is wide, and the serological diagnosis is typically difficult until the convalescent phase. Thus, we examined the value of plasma EBV DNA real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in EBV hepatitis for the timely diagnosis and the relationship between EBV viral load and clinical severity. Methods: Sixty samples were confirmed as having EBV infection by RT-qPCR with the EBV BALF5 gene sequence. We examined the clinical characteristics of EBV hepatitis by reviewing medical records. Results: The median total duration of fever was 8 days (range: 0-13 days). The mean peak value of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was $241{\pm}214$ U/L, and the mean peak value of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was $298{\pm}312$ U/L. There was no correlation between the serum levels of liver enzyme and plasma EBV DNA titer ($p$=0.1) or between median total duration of fever and EBV DNA titer ($p$=0.056). The median age of the EBV VCA IgM-negative group was lower compared with the EBV VCA IgM-positive group in EBV hepatitis (2 years vs. 6 years, $p$=0.0009). Conclusion: The severity of EBV hepatitis does not correlate with circulating EBV DNA load according to our data. Furthermore, we suggest that plasma EBV PCR may be valuable in young infants in whom the results of serology test for EBV infection commonly are negative.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.88-92
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• 2008

Infection of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) gives rise to a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in children. Although renal involvement is rare, diverse renal manifestations are known from hematuria to acute renal failure. Secondary membranous nephropathy(MN) associated with systemic EBV infection is an uncommon renal pathology and only two cases have been reported. We are adding another case of MN associated with EBV infection in a child. An 8-year-old girl was admitted for renal biopsy. She had been followed up for microscopic hematuria and intermittent proteinuria for 5 months. There had been no specific findings in serology and radiology. Tonsil biopsy had been done due to exudative tonsillar hypertrophy and enlarged multiple cervical lymph nodes. And it showed EBV-associated lymphoproliferative findings. Serologic tests for EBV showed positive evidence of recent infection; viral capsid antigen(VCA) IgM was borderline positive, VCA IgG and early antigen IgG were positive, and EB nuclear antigen IgG was negative. In Situ Hybridization of tonsil for EBV mRNA was positive. Because her proteinuria and hematuria were aggravated at that time(protein 3 +, RBC >60/HPF), renal biopsy was done. Renal biopsy showed the findings of MN, characterized by thickened capillary walls with epimembranous spikes on light microscopy and subepithelial, mesangial and subendothelial electron dense deposits on electron microscopy. On immunofluorescence microscopy, IgG, C1q, kappa and lambda chains were positive. After steroid administration, proteinuria and hematuria resolved gradually within 6 months.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.117-126
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• 2020

Purpose: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is related to infectious mononucleosis or nasopharyngeal cancer, and its epidemiology may change according to the socioeconomic development of communities. This study aimed to evaluate the recent epidemiology of EBV seropositive rate in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed EBV serology test results obtained from a part of clinical care at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea, from January 2000 to December 2017. Results: The EBV seropositive rate in 26,527 subjects during the study period was 81.0% (21,485/26,527): 44.4% (2,716/6,122) in subjects aged 0-9 years, 75.8% (2,077/2,739) in those aged 10-19 years, and 94.5% (16,692/17,666) in those aged ≥20 years. The EBV seropositive rate decreased from 89.4% (8,592/9,616) in 2000-2008 to 76.2% (12,893/16,911) in 2009-2017 (P<0.001). Especially, the EBV seropositive rate in subjects aged 0-19 years significantly decreased from 2000-2008 to 2009-2017 (0-9 years, 62.8% [1,172/1,866] in 2000-2008 and 36.3% [1,544/4,256] in 2009-2017; 10-19 years, 83.8% [745/858] in 2000-2008 and 70.8% (1,332/1,881) in 2009-2017) (P<0.001). Conclusions: The EBV seropositive rate in children has decreased in the last 20 years. As the age of patients with primary EBV infection increased, there is a need for interest in clinical manifestation, such as infectious mononucleosis, in adolescents and young adults.

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.347-357
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• 2018

Objectives: Few studies of pediatric Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated infectious mononucleosis (IM) have been conducted in Korea. We evaluated the clinical features of children with IM to define differences according to age. Methods: We conducted retrospective chart reviews of 68 children aged 0 to 15 years who were diagnosed by EBV-associated IM with EBV-Viral Capsid Antigen(VCA) IgM at laboratory test and were admitted between 2010 and 2014. The children were classified into four age groups: aged 0-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-15 years. Results: The age distribution of patients was as follows: 19 (27.9%) 0-3, 25 (36.8%) 4-6, 13 (19.1%) 7-9, and 11 (16.2%) 10-15. Fever was the most common presentation regardless of age. It was more common in the 0-3 group than the 4-6 group (P = 0.018). Pharyngitis was more common in the 7-9 group than the 0-3 group (P = 0.048), and myalgia was more common in the 10-15 group than the 0-3 group (P = 0.007). Pharyngitis was accompanied by lymphadenopathy, protracted fever, and rash. In the 0-3 age group, the prevalence of rash was higher while the percentage of atypical lymphocytes was lower, but there was no statistical support for this tendency. There were no differences in the frequency of hepatosplenomegaly or laboratory findings between age groups. Conclusions: IM is not uncommon in young children and its clinical presentation varies with age. Therefore, IM should be suspected in young febrile children with pharyngitis and rash despite low percentages of atypical lymphocytes.