Background/aims: Epstein-Barr virus has a seroprevalence of more than 80% world wide and is known to be associated with hepatitis. However, little is known about the underlying pathogenesis and immunmechanisms and no standard diagnostic criteria to diagnose EBV-hepatitis are available.
Methods: We collected liver biopsies (n=21) with the tentative diagnosis of EBV induced hepatitis according to pathological changes and traceable EBV genome by PCR.