Infectious agent-associated lymphoid proliferations (IALP) are high incidence diseases around the world, and represent a heterogeneous group of entities, ranging from benign lymphoid reactions to neoplastic lymphoproliferations, which are resulted from insults by various infections agents like Epstein Barr virus, HHV8, HTLV-1, H. pylori, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and others.  Susceptibility of the infections and development of IALP depends on a combination of host genetic factors, immunity, and highly complex cellular/molecular events of host-pathogen interactions.  Recent studies have provided new insights in understanding its oncogenic pathways and molecular mechanisms.  Clinical management of IALP involves anti-infective-agent therapies, which maybe used in combination with conventional chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.  In practice, accurate diagnosis and assessment of IALP present unique and pragmatic difficulties to pathologists, especially considering their critical impacts on patient management. For example, it can be challenging to diagnose, especially without comprehensive clinical history and appropriate ancillary studies.  In addition, predicting its clinical behavior may be problematic such as in the cases of chronic active EBV infection.

The Workshop will focus on the following goals and overarching objectives:

1). Illustrate overlapping features and diagnostic challenges of IALP, including borderline conditions between reactive lymphoproliferations and lymphomas, as well as various subtypes of infectious agent-associated lymphomas;

2). Elucidate and expand the diagnostic criteria set by the current WHO classification systems;

3). Recognize host susceptibility factors including molecular markers in the development and progression of IALP;

4). Develop consensus recommendations in approaches of distinguishing highly aggressive IALP from indolent forms, including conditions related to chronic active EBV infections.