What is the histological appearance of EBV infection?
Histologically, EBV infection is characterized by the presence of atypical lymphocytes, often referred to as "Downey cells." These cells are larger than normal lymphocytes and have abundant cytoplasm and irregular, convoluted nuclei. In cases of EBV-associated cancers, such as Burkitt lymphoma, the histological appearance includes a "starry sky" pattern due to the presence of macrophages engulfing apoptotic tumor cells.
