Acute dacryocystitis associated with epstein-barr virus infection

Abstract

Acute dacryocystitis is a rare complication of infectious mononucleosis with only three previous reports in the English literature. We present two further children with acute dacryocystitis and clinical and laboratory features of Epstein-Barr Virus related infectious mononucleosis. Both were treated with systemic antibiotics and one child additionally required surgical drainage of a lacrimal sac abscess. Both children made a complete recovery without any lacrimal symptoms. Acute dacryocystitis is uncommon in children without a history of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, and an underlying systemic condition such as infectious mononucleosis should be suspected. In such patients, dacryocystitis can be expected to resolve without symptoms of nasolacrimal duct obstruction and dacryocystorhinostomy is seldom required.