An adult patient with hypersensitivity to mosquito bites developing mantlecell lymphoma

Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) has been known to occur exclusivel y in the first 2 decades of life and is frequently associated with Epstein- Barr virus (EBV) infection and lymphoproliferative diseases. We report here the first adult patient with HMB, a 61-year-old Japanese man who developed mantle cell lymphoma. EBV was detected in the lymph node by polymerase cha in reaction and by in situ hybridization. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)- 4, IL-6, and IL-10 were markedly increased, and the T-helper cell (Th)1/Th2 balance determined by intracellular cytokine levels was polarized to Th2. These findings suggest that the Th1/Th2 imbalance could partly be involved in the pathogenesis of HMB. Int J Hematol. 2000;71:259-262 (C) 1999 The Jap anese Society of Hematology.