Epstein-Barr Virus – EBV (Mononucleosis)
A contagious disease, infectious mononucleosis is mostly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC, 2018). It is, however, important to note that in most cases, an infection with EBV does not necessarily progress to mononucleosis. Essentially, EBV infections are commonplace and may not present any symptoms, particularly during the childhood early adulthood phases. However, as CDC (2018) points out, “at least one out of four teenagers and young adults who get infected with EBV will develop infectious mononucleosis.” Most infections on this front spread as a consequence of close contact with an individual who is already infected, i.e. via sharing of cutlery or kissing.
Some of the more common symptoms of EBV infection include, but they are not limited to, “sore throat, cervical lymph node enlargement, fatigue and fever most often seen in adolescents and young adults and lasting several weeks” (Dunmire, Hogquist, and Balfour, 2015). Other symptoms may include rash, swollen spleen or liver (or both in some instances), and body pain as well as headaches (CDC, 2018). As CDC (2018) further points out, most mononucleosis symptoms become apparent within four to six weeks of EBV infection.
It is, however, important to note that in some instances, the symptoms presented could be signs of many other diseases. In most cases, a positive heterophile test, as Dunmire, Hogquist, and Balfour (2015) point out, is all that may be needed for diagnostic purposes. It should, however, be noted that due to lack of specificity of heterophile antibodies, as well as failure of the same to develop in some persons, Dunmire, Hogquist, and Balfour (2015) are of the opinion that “EBV-specific antibody profiles are the best choice for staging EBV infection.”
There is need to consider group A beta-hemolytic streptococci virus and taxoplasma gondii in infectious mononucleosis’ differential diagnosis. This is more so the case given that as Bravender (2010) points out, “approximately 10% of those with IM will not be acutely infected with EBV.” When it comes to group A beta-hemolytic streptococci virus, it is important to note that it is in most cases clinically indistinguishable from EBV. Towards this end, there is need for group A beta-hemolytic streptococci virus throat culture as a differentiating test. As Buttaro, Tybulski, Polgar-Bailey, and Sandberg-Cook (2012)…
