Case report: Epstein-Barr virus and constrictive pericarditis-An unusual combination

Mario Panebianco; Eduard Limonjani; Roberto Formigari; Veronica Bordonaro; Aurelio Secinaro; Enrico Cetrano; Adriano Carotti; Lorenzo Galletti; Sonia Albanese

doi:10.3389/fped.2023.1215928

Case report: Epstein-Barr virus and constrictive pericarditis-An unusual combination

Front Pediatr. 2023 Jul 3:11:1215928. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1215928. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Mario Panebianco¹, Eduard Limonjani¹, Roberto Formigari¹, Veronica Bordonaro², Aurelio Secinaro², Enrico Cetrano¹, Adriano Carotti¹, Lorenzo Galletti¹, Sonia Albanese¹

Affiliations

¹ Clinic Area of Fetal Neonatal and Cardiologic Science, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
² Advanced Cardiothoracic Imaging Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Constrictive pericarditis is a chronic inflammatory process that can lead to heart failure if not diagnosed and treated correctly. Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related pericarditis is a very rare condition, it should still be considered for a differential diagnosis. We report the case of an 18-year-old male, who was surgically treated for constrictive pericarditis, in which in situ hybridization to Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER) probe of the excised pericardium led to the subsequent etiological diagnosis of chronic pericarditis caused by EBV.

Keywords: Epstein–Barr virus; constrictive pericarditis; effusive-constrictive pericarditis; mononucleosis; ventricular mechanics.

Publication types

Case Reports

Grants and funding

This work was supported also by the Italian Ministry of Health with “current research funds.”