BACKGROUND: The most frequent manifestation of an infection with Epstein-Barr virus is the mostly unilateral transient follicular conjunctivitis. PATIENT: A 19-year-old man was evaluated for a unilateral salmon colored subconjunctival mass that had developed over one week. Additionally, the patient had painful cervical lymph nodes and a sore throat. Blood tests demonstrated a lymphocytosis and a high titer for Epstein-Barr-Virus-IgG and -IgM which was consistent with infectious mononucleosis. A biopsy form the conjunctival mass showed a mixed cellular infiltrate including lymphocytes, plasma cells, histocytes, and cells with a prominent eosinophilic nucleolus. The lesion displayed a spontaneous regression over the following 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: Infectious mononucleosis should be considered with a conjunctival tumor which may mimic a lymphoma.
BACKGROUND: The most frequent manifestation of an infection with Epstein-Barr virus is the mostly unilateral transient follicular conjunctivitis. PATIENT: A 19-year-old man was evaluated for a unilateral salmon colored subconjunctival mass that had developed over one week. Additionally, the patient had painful cervical lymph nodes and a sore throat. Blood tests demonstrated a lymphocytosis and a high titer for Epstein-Barr-Virus-IgG and -IgM which was consistent with infectious mononucleosis. A biopsy form the conjunctival mass showed a mixed cellular infiltrate including lymphocytes, plasma cells, histocytes, and cells with a prominent eosinophilic nucleolus. The lesion displayed a spontaneous regression over the following 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: Infectious mononucleosis should be considered with a conjunctival tumor which may mimic a lymphoma.