A thymoma is a type of thymic tumor which is rarely malignant that is frequently reported in adult patients. A number of thymoma-related immune disorders are observed including autoimmune diseases, which suggests a strong connection between thymoma development and immunological mechanisms. Characterized by association with humoral and cellular immunodeficiency, thymoma patients are susceptible to opportunistic infections by environmental factors. Recent reports have suggested that viral infection may play a role in the etiological mechanisms of thymoma development associated with dysregulated immunity. In this review, we summarize the case reports and studies related to viral infection, such as CMV, EBV and HSV, that probably play a part in the pathogenesis of thymoma and related diseases. Furthermore, we demonstrate the underlying mechanisms by which viruses may induce the occurrence of thymoma with autoimmune diseases. Lastly, we discuss the potential application of antiviral therapy in the treatment of thymic diseases.

中文翻译：

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胸腺瘤和伴有自身免疫性疾病的胸腺肿瘤的病毒感染

胸腺瘤是一种胸腺肿瘤，它很少是恶性的，在成人患者中经常报告。观察到许多与胸腺瘤相关的免疫疾病，包括自身免疫性疾病，这表明胸腺瘤的发展与免疫机制之间存在密切联系。以与体液和细胞免疫缺陷相关为特征，胸腺瘤患者易受环境因素的机会性感染。最近的报道表明，病毒感染可能在与免疫失调相关的胸腺瘤发展的病因机制中发挥作用。在这篇综述中，我们总结了与病毒感染相关的病例报告和研究，如 CMV、EBV 和 HSV，它们可能在胸腺瘤和相关疾病的发病机制中发挥了作用。此外，我们证明了病毒可能诱导胸腺瘤与自身免疫性疾病发生的潜在机制。最后，我们讨论了抗病毒疗法在治疗胸腺疾病中的潜在应用。