INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS DUE TO EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS IN A PEDIATRIC PATIENT: CASE REPORT AND REVIEW

Abstract

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/yc.v10i18.0872

Abstract

Infectious mononucleosis, often referred to as the kissing disease, is a medical condition caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. This virus spreads from person to person through secretions found in saliva. Clinically, the disease manifests itself through a series of symptoms that include inflammation of the throat, as well as fever and enlarged lymph nodes, known as lymphadenopathy. From a serological point of view, heterophile antibodies may be observed, while a hematological analysis will reveal the presence of mononuclear leukocytes containing atypical monocytes, which contributes to a more accurate diagnosis of this disease. The incidence rate of cases in children under 10 and adults over 30 is less than one per thousand people per year. In addition, it is important to note that the vast majority of mild infections in children are often not properly diagnosed. The diagnosis of the disease in question is based strictly on serological tests. There are various techniques that can identify a specific type of heterophile antibodies, which tend to appear frequently during the development of the disease. In addition, there are also methods that can detect the existence of antibodies that are particularly specific to certain proteins of the virus in question. A 12-year-old patient comes to the clinic accompanied by a family member, in this case her mother, because she has been experiencing a headache for approximately seven days that has become quite intense, reaching a level of 6 out of 10 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). This symptom is associated with an increase in body temperature that has not been specifically measured, and the patient has also reported episodes of nausea, chills, and dry cough.

Keywords: viral disease; serological tests; pediatrics.