Case Report: A rare case of Epstein–Barr virus mucocutaneous ulcers occurring in the eyeball and literature review

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Source: Frontiers Medicine

Original: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1749739...

Published: 2026-02-10T00:00:00Z

The case concerns a 79-year-old woman who was diagnosed with a rare Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in the form of mucocutaneous ulcers on the left eye. These are shallow, sharply demarcated ulcers on the mucous membrane or skin, which often occur in immunocompromised patients. The lesion was primarily localized in the cornea and extended into the surrounding tissues of the iris and choroid, showing ulceration and necrosis of the surface epithelium. Microscopic examination revealed atypical lymphocytes of various sizes and a dense infiltration of inflammatory cells including small lymphocytes, histiocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophils. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization assays confirmed the presence of EBV-encoded mRNA (EBER) in the atypical cells. According to the authors, this is the first published case of EBV mucocutaneous ulcers presenting as ocular lesions, which highlights the importance of understanding this rare diagnosis for proper diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.