Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Epstein barr virus mononucleosis

Infectious mononucleosis (also known as mono, the kissing disease, Pfeiffer's disease, and glandular fever) is a disease seen most commonly in adolescents and young adults, characterized by fever, sore throat and fatigue. It is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or the cytomegalovirus (CMV). It is typically transmitted through saliva or blood, often through kissing, or by sharing a drinking glass, eating utensil or needle. Contrary to common belief, the disease is relatively non-contagious. The causative virus is also found in the mucus of the infected person, so it is also easily spread through coughing or sneezing. more...

Home
Diseases
A
B
C
D
E
Ebola hemorrhagic fever
Ebstein's anomaly
Eclampsia
Ectodermal Dysplasia
Ectopic pregnancy
Ectrodactyly
Edwards syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Ehrlichiosis
Eisoptrophobia
Elective mutism
Electrophobia
Elephantiasis
Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome
Emetophobia
Emphysema
Encephalitis
Encephalitis lethargica
Encephalocele
Encephalomyelitis
Encephalomyelitis, Myalgic
Endocarditis
Endocarditis, infective
Endometriosis
Endomyocardial fibrosis
Enetophobia
Enterobiasis
Eosinophilia-myalgia...
Eosinophilic fasciitis
Eosophobia
Ependymoma
Epicondylitis
Epidermolysis bullosa
Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis
Epididymitis
Epilepsy
Epiphyseal stippling...
Epistaxiophobia
EPP (erythropoietic...
Epstein barr virus...
Equinophobia
Ergophobia
Erysipelas
Erythema multiforme
Erythermalgia
Erythroblastopenia
Erythromelalgia
Erythroplakia
Erythropoietic...
Esophageal atresia
Esophageal varices
Esotropia
Essential hypertension
Essential thrombocythemia
Essential thrombocytopenia
Essential thrombocytosis
Euphobia
Evan's syndrome
Ewing's Sarcoma
Exencephaly
Exophthalmos
Exostoses
Exploding head syndrome
Hereditary Multiple...
Hereditary Multiple...
Hereditary Multiple...
Hereditary Multiple...
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Medicines

It is estimated that 95% of adults in the world have EBV-antibodies, having been infected with the Epstein-Barr virus at some point in their lives. The virus infects B cells (B-lymphocytes), producing a reactive lymphocytosis and the atypical T cells (T-lymphocytes) which give the disease its name.

Symptoms and physical signs

A person can be infected with the virus for weeks or months before any symptoms begin to appear. Symptoms usually begin to appear 4-7 weeks after infection and may resemble strep throat or other bacterial or viral respiratory infections. These first signs of the disease are commonly confused with cold and flu symptoms. The typical symptoms and signs of mononucleosis are:

  • Fever - this varies from mild to severe, but is seen in nearly all cases.
  • Enlarged and tender lymph nodes - particularly the posterior cervical lymph nodes, on both sides of the neck.
  • Sore throat (throat infection) - nearly all patients with EBV-mononucleosis have symptoms similar to tonsillitis.
  • Fatigue (sometimes extreme fatigue)

Some patients may also display:

  • Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) or liver (hepatomegaly), which may later rupture
  • Abdominal pain
  • Aching muscles
  • Headache
  • Loss of appetite
  • Jaundice
  • Sinus infection
  • Depression
  • Weakness
  • Skin rash

The symptoms of infectious mononucleosis usually last 1-2 months, but the virus can remain dormant in the B cells indefinitely after symptoms have disappeared, and resurface at a later date. Many people exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus do not show symptoms of the disease, but carry the virus and can transmit it to others. This is especially true in children, in whom infection seldom causes more than a very mild illness which often goes undiagnosed. This feature, along with mono's long incubation period, makes epidemiological control of the disease impractical. About 6% of people who have had mono will relapse.

Since mononucleosis can cause the spleen to swell, it may in rare cases lead to a ruptured spleen. Rupture may occur without trauma, but impact to the spleen is usually a factor. Other complications include hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) causing jaundice, and anaemia (a deficiency of red blood cells). In rare cases, death may result from severe hepatitis or splenic rupture.

Usually, the longer the infected person experiences the symptoms the more the infection weakens the person's immune system and the longer he/she will need to recover. Cyclical reactivation of the virus, although rare in healthy people, is often a sign of immunological abnormalities in the small subset of organic disease patients in which the virus is active or reactivated.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Epstein-Barr virus associated with MS - News - multiple sclerosis - Brief Article
From Inside MS, 3/22/02

In a recent study, Harvard researchers found higher levels of immune antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in people who went on to develop MS than in people who did not. EBV is one of the most common human viruses--most people in the world become infected with it at some point during their lives. Most of the time EBV infection is silent. But in adolescence or young adulthood, EBV can result in infectious mononucleosis almost half of the time.

The research was published in the December 26, 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Alberto Ascherio and his Harvard colleagues analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Studies, which have been following the health status of 230,000 female registered nurses since 1976. The team looked for evidence of exposure to EBV and other viruses for comparison, both before and after MS diagnosis.

While virtually all of the nurses had antibodies indicating exposure to EBV, based on several measurements, the nurses who went on to develop MS had, on average, higher levels of EBV antibodies in their blood than those who did not develop MS. The team also analyzed the blood of 126 women with MS whose blood was collected after the onset of MS--and found significantly higher levels of antibodies than in women without MS.

While EBV has been proposed as a possible infectious trigger for MS in the past, this is the first published study in which exposure to the virus was determined prior to diagnosis.

Other studies have shown associations of MS with EBV and many other viral and bacterial infections. None, including this most recent study, has been able to prove a causative link.

The Harvard team, noting that exposure to EBV is common in most adults, suggests that EBV may be one of several factors that determine MS. More research is needed to determine whether EBV has a direct role.

COPYRIGHT 2002 National Multiple Sclerosis Society
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

Return to Epstein barr virus mononucleosis
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay