Mononucleosis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Mononucleosis

Alternative Names:

Infectious mononucleosis; Mono; Kissing disease; Epstein-Barr viral syndrome
Symptoms:

fever
sore throat
enlarged lymph nodes, especially in the neck and armpit
general discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling
drowsiness
loss of appetite
muscle aches or stiffness
enlarged spleen
rash

Less frequently occurring symptoms include:

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Signs and tests:

During a physical examination, the doctor may find enlarged lymph nodes in the front and back of the neck, as well as swollen tonsils with the whitish covering. The doctor might also find an enlarged liver or enlarged spleen when pushing on your belly. There may be a skin rash present.

Laboratory findings often include an elevated white blood cell count, and the characteristic finding of atypical lymphocytes -- unusual-appearing white blood cells that are seen when blood is examined under a microscope. Abnormal liver function tests are also characteristic.

Common tests for EB include:

A monospot test (positive for infectious mononucleosis)
Epstein-Barr virus antigen by immunofluorescence (positive for EBV)
Epstein-Barr virus antibody titers can help distinguish acute infection from past infection with EBV

References:

Hoffman, R., ed. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 4^th Ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone, 2005.

Gershon, AA, Hotez, PJ, and Katz, SL, eds. Krugman?s Infectious Diseases of Children. 11^th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2004.

Noble J, ed. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3^rd Ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2001.