Persistent presence of Epstein-Barr virus in the blood.
Comment:
Primary EBV infection is often asymptomatic in the immunocompetent host. In immunodeficient patients, however, primary EBV infection or secondary reactivation may result in persistent symptomatic EBV viremia, a clinical condition with a prolonged (over 6 months) and distinct symptomatic phase with fever, lymphadenophathy and several other possible features such as hepatitis and pneumonia. Persistent symptomatic EBV viremia can be associated with lymphoma, lymphoproliferative disease, hemophagocyticlymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and aplastic anemia, but most typically goes into spontaneous remission.