Epstein-barr virus-related diarrhea or exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease: diagnostic dilemma.

While the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in colonic specimens from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been documented, diarrhea secondary to gastrointestinal involvement by EBV in the context of primary EBV infection in patients with IBD has not been reported. We describe a patient with IBD who presented with diarrhea and primary EBV infection and propose a role for colonic involvement by EBV in the pathogenesis of his symptoms.