TITLE:
Carbamazepine Induced Ebstein-Barr Virus Reactivation: A Rare Manifestation of Anticonvulsant Hypersensitivity Syndrome
AUTHORS:
Yildiz Degirmenci, Hulusi Kececi, Emel Çalişkan
KEYWORDS:
Carbamazepine, Anticonvulsant Hypersensitivity Syndrome, Ebstein-Barr Virus Infection
JOURNAL NAME:
Neuroscience and Medicine,
Vol.7 No.2,
May
27,
2016
ABSTRACT: Carbamazepine (CBZ) is an antiepileptic drug which has multiple mechanisms of action including stabilization of the inactivated stage of the voltage-gated sodium channels, potentiating gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) receptors as a GABA antagonist, as well as the serotonin releasing affect. It is effective in neuropathic pain syndromes such as post-herpetic neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia, as well as epilepsy. We presented a 29-year-old female patient with the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) who experienced a reactivation of the latent Ebstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection in terms of anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome after CBZ use, who gave her approval to publish her data. Since the clinical and serological findings of EBV re-infection resolved after the discontinuation of the drug, this clinical and serological manifestation was attributed to CBZ. Since common side-effects of CBZ are drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, skin reactions, cognitive dysfunctions, we reported an activation of EBV infection due to CBZ consumption as a rare side-effect of the drug.