Three Rwandan Children With Massive Splenomegaly and Epstein-Barr Virus–associated Lymphoproliferative Disorders: Case Presentations and the Literature Review

This report describes 3 Rwandan children with massive splenomegaly and pancytopenia who underwent splenectomy. Each was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus–associated lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV LPD) based on lymphocyte morphology, lymphocyte immunophenotype, and the results of EBV in situ hybridization studies. The differential diagnosis of splenomegaly, with a special emphasis on the sub-Saharan African context, is discussed along with EBV and associated disorders. These cases serve as a call to consider EBV LPD in the differential diagnosis of splenomegaly in children in whom common causes have been ruled out.