INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS

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1) Which conditions can affect the results of the test?

HIV, lupus, lymphoma, rubella, hepatitis, and other viral infections may lead to a false-positive result.

2) Which are the causes of Infectious Mononucleosis?

• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). 
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
• Hepatitis A, hepatitis B or hepatitis C
• HIV
• Rubella
• Toxoplasmosis

3) What does the mono spot test detect?

The mononucleosis test is used to help determine, if a person with symptoms has infectious mononucleosis (mono). The test is done to detect proteins in the blood which are called as heterophile antibodies that are produced by the immune system in response to an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, the most common cause of mononucleosis
The mono test is easy to perform and rapid, but it is specific for heterophile antibodies, and not for EBV. It can also be positive in patients with lymphoma, lupus, and some gastrointestinal cancers, however it is not used as a diagnostic or screening tool for these conditions.
When the mono test is negative and/or a clinician wants to obtain more information about the presence and status of an EBV infection, he may order one or more of a combination of EBV antibodies. These tests can indicate if the patient is susceptible to EBV, has had a recent infection, has had EBV infection in the past, or has a reactivated EBV infection.
Heterophile antibodies decline after the sixth week of illness, and the mono test will become negative as the infection resolves.

4) Is Infectious Mononucleosis a serious condition?
The symptoms of the disease usually resolve with supportive treatment, such as plenty of rest and fluids, in one to four months. Sometimes, the spleen or liver may enlarge and the patient may have to limit his activity until these organs return to normal size. Heart problems or involvement of the central nervous system may occur but only rarely. Infectious mononucleosis may cause severe liver failure in males with a special XLP gene. In this rare case, mononucleosis may be fatal.

5) Why is Infectious Mononucleosis called kissing disease?

The spread of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) requires contact with the saliva of an infected person as occurs with kissing; however, kissing does not have to occur for infection to arise. The presence of Saliva on children's toys, water bottles, toothbrushes, drinking glasses, and hands can also transmit the virus. Transmission of this virus through the air or blood does not occur normally. The incubation period, or the time from infection to appearance of symptoms, ranges from 4 to 6 weeks.
People who have infectious mononucleosis can spread the infection to others for a period of weeks. Many healthy people who have been previously infected can carry and spread the virus intermittently for life, and testing them for the virus is not suggested. Because of these reasons, it is almost impossible to prevent spreading the virus and nearly everyone will have had an EBV infection, but not necessarily mono, by the time that they are 40 years old.

6) Can a patient get the infection more than once?

Although the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis usually subside and disappear in 1 or 2 months, EBV remains in an inactive state in a few cells in the body for the rest of the patient's life. Periodically, the virus can reactivate, and it is commonly found in the saliva of infected persons. This reactivation usually occurs without symptoms of the disease.

7) Can EBV cause serious illness?

EBV has been linked to certain cancers, such as Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and AIDS-related lymphoma, and is been  studied for possible linkages to other cancers. The incidence of these diseases is low. 

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