Infectious mononucleosis - heterophilic antibodies (Paul Bunnell)

General information:

Infectious mononucleosis (IF) is a viral disease that is most often caused by the human γ-herpes virus - Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or the human β-herpes virus - cytomegalovirus (CMV). .
The disease is often called glandular fever, due to the increase in lymph nodes throughout the body, accompanied by a high temperature.
Adolescents and young people are most often affected. The disease also occurs in children, but in childhood, infectious mononucleosis is milder and mimics the symptoms of other, common age-related diseases, which makes the diagnosis less common in this age group.

The incubation period is 4 to 6 weeks.
The study of AST, ALT and bilirubin is desirable because liver involvement is possible in some of the patients.

The Paul-Bunnell heteroagglutination test shows antibodies in the serum of patients. In all patients, including those with a negative heteroagglutination test, virus-specific At-antibodies against various antigens of EBV, of the IgG and IgM class, can be demonstrated in the serum.

EBV infection is diagnosed by:

• blood count and smear for specific changes (atypical lymphocytes)
• biochemical tests to assess liver function (liver enzymes and bilirubin)
• serological tests
• confirmatory tests (Blot tests)
• EBV PCR test

The heterophile antibody test (20% of adults, over 50% of children, and almost 90% < 3 years do not form these antibodies)

Sample required:

Venous blood

Key words:

infectious mononucleosis, heterophilic antibodies