Rapid Test for Infectious Mononucleosis

The symptoms compatible with infectious mononucleosis are fever, pharyngitis, and lymphadenopathy, plus an elevated white blood cell count and greater-than-10% atypical lymphocytes. For patients with symptoms, a positive heterophile antibody test result is diagnostic and no further testing is necessary.

Infectious mononucleosis is an acute infectious disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EPV), a member of the herpes virus family. Although this virus can infect people of any age, the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis predominantly affect teenagers and young adults. Symptoms usually resolve with one to two months, but fatigue may linger and chronic EPV infection may develop.

EPV has been linked to two very rare cancers not normally found in developed countries: Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. EPV has also been associated with an increased risk of developing Hodgkin's disease among young adults within five years of having infectious mononucleosis.




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